This can't be happening!
by Eien-no-Ren
Summary: What is an Uchiha to do when the dobe you’re secretly in love with arrives half dead at your doorstep? Easy: drag him in and make him yours. Simple, right? SasuxNaru Anal,Angst,ChallengeFic,HC,HJ,Language,Lemon,Lime,MPreg,ShonenAi,SoloM,WIP,Yaoi
1. Chapter 1: Piercing Kunai

Disclaimer: I dont own Naruto... how can you be so sure? Have you seen Naruto kissing Sasuke senseless? No? Then that is proof. Also, this is my first Naruto fic… so please bear with me. I love constructive criticism.

Labored breath filled his ears while he crouched, waiting. Peering through the gloomy darkness, he grimaced. He had to loose his pursuers and loose them fast. Unconsciously, his eyes ran over his flack jacket and the hidden pocket where the scroll rested safely out of sight. The masked ANBU grimaced thinking about a retrieval mission deemed fool proof but with enough challenge to provide even the village dead last with a good test run. As expected with his kind of luck, the 'easy mission' took a nasty turn for the worst the moment those 3 S-class missing nins appeared out of the blue to secure his target. Tsunade-baachan's words rang eerily in his ear as he pressed a trembling hand to his side in an effort to stem the bleeding. 'You are on your own for this, Naruto. This is a mission rank you will be able to work with relative ease. I expect you to deliver as always. I'm counting on the successful completion of this solo mission to be able to twist the Elders' into allowing you higher ranking missions. I can't have one of my best shinobi placed on restricted missions, can I? Is that clear? I really need you not to mess up Naruto, ok?'

A swaying branch snagged his gaze and he stiffened. 'This is not the time to be distracted! Get it together, Naruto!' Blinking quickly in an effort to clear his fading vision he scanned his surroundings, cold sweat running down his spine. His adrenaline heightened senses tuned into everything that moved around him until he could see where every last insect and animal was located in relation to his position. A bird took flight in the distance and his body tensed. The unnatural stillness around him set his teeth on edge. His instincts screamed danger, beware! With the knowledge came the unnerving certainty that if he had to face them again he was doomed. The odds against him were not the best, even if they hadn't succeeded in injuring him already. Three S-class missing nins against one almost Chunin, even if he was the Jinchuuriki, the odds were very much against him. 'Typical.' He thought ruefully. The picture was grim indeed and it wouldn't get any better with blood loss starting to affect him. 'Why isn't Kyuubi dealing with these wounds? It's not like they are unusual. This should have been dealt with long ago; specially the bleeding.' His hand gripped the tree bark, instinctively steadying his stance while he waited. They were coming.

A flurry of airborne kunai hurtling towards him brought his body to life. Dodging instinctively, he started an evasive maneuver to buy himself some sorely needed time. The hunt for his life was on and he was not so sure of its outcome. His only certainty was this: He was not going out without a fight. After all he was not the surprise specialist for nothing. 'Kage Bunshin!' He whispered and a satisfying pop announced the creation of his clones. They weren't as plentiful as usual given his current state but he needed to make haste. There was no time for finesse and technique.

'Diversion! I need a diversion. Please!' He thought, feeling desperation nipping at the edges consciousness when it registered his clones were eliminated with incredible ease. Rummaging for ideas inside his brain, he weighted his options. The trees flew by as he jumped from limb to limb evading kunai and shuriken with increasing difficulty. He was so close to the end of his mission, so close! Burning tears of rage threatened to spill as he evaded sluggishly a new hail of shuriken. Konohagakure was only three days away and there he was, almost dead like a true dobe! Dodging an evil looking knife, his dulling senses never saw the half-broken limb until it was too late and he tumbled to the ground in a noisy heap. His pained body connected with the ground with a dull thud and for a few seconds the only thing that registered was fiery pain on his side. Out of breath, he struggled to rise to his knees. If he was going to die, he would stare at his enemies on the face and spit their faces in defiance. He was Uzumaki Naruto and he was going down with a bang!

"Finally, we wondered when the venom would start taking over your body. I was starting to fear we were dealing with a demon of sorts." The tallest man cackled from behind his facemask. "You see, Anbu-neko-san, the kunai we have been using are steeped in a wonderful cocktail of my own invention whose main ingredient is the poisonous sap of a little known plant in the Suna region. Not even youkai, with their famed regenerative powers, are able to leave completely unscathed when it's used against them." He fell silent allowing his eager companion to continue if he so chose.

"We must congratulate you for your stamina and strength, Anbu-san. It's a shame the hunt is over now. We expected you to keel over miles ago. Either the poison or the blood loss would do you in. You see? The sap contains anticoagulants too… so your wounds won't stop bleeding… It's quite useful, nee?" The red-haired mocked him drawing closer. His hands were kept busy fiddling with his kunai while his eyes roamed his prey's body for signals of distress. "Come on, look at me! Man, I want to see his face! I love those last desperate moments before they realize it's hopeless to struggle! I'm of half a mind to keep him alive to toy with him some more. It's been a while since we last were able to play with one such as this." The redhead was fretting from one foot to the other, his poor chakra control overcome by sheer recklessness. Nobody expected him to live as long as he had.

The older man in the group neared the barely breathing Anbu lying on his side. "Running around like that only served to spread the poison quicker on your system, you fool. You are history, Anbu. Predator turned prey... Poetic, wouldn't you say?" he crouched beside the golden haired youth with half a mind to take off his mask. Frowning, he decided to spare his enemy this last ignominy, realizing this was a man barely out of his teens, if at all. Strong, resilient, nimble, he had the makings of a great ninja. It was a shame actually, so much talent and potential. 'So young. Such a pity!' He shrugged, straightening and nodded before taking a step back.

"Die!" ordered the redhead with the sloppy chakra signature. An avalanche of kunai rained over the unprotected Anbu and the youth breathed no more. Coming closer, with an overly confident smirk, the redhead kicked a lax foot. A popping sound and suddenly the dead shinobi turned into a log with a paper scroll pinned to it. "Ninjutsu?" he spat with disgust and the gray haired one burst out laughing. 'Outnumbered, bleeding, hopeless and still he outwits us. He truly deserves to be called Anbu. I hope we meet again, Anbu-neko-san.' He thought with satisfaction while his companion cursed.

Laughter followed Naruto as he ran. He hadn't been able to leave unscathed; to enhance the illusion enough to fool such high ranking enemies, he'd needed to shed his own blood. His thigh throbbed with effort but he didn't spare it a glance. It would shatter his concentration to see what he could already feel: his skin slick with his own blood. He could feel it bleed liberally from a self-inflicted wound in his upper thigh. 'Apparently you miscalculated the depth of the blade, baka and now you are bleeding too much. You are really a usurakontachi!' He chided himself lightly, to avoid paying attention to the ever encroaching darkness. Blinking away his double vision, he relied on his instincts to guide him home.

A few hours later, his usual sunny expression was pale and grim. He had taken a few minutes to tie a sloppy bandage around his thigh but it only served as a distraction. He was fighting a losing battle and he knew it. He wouldn't make it. He just knew it. The infamy and the unfairness of it all were like a knife to his belly. 'Why me? Why now? I was so close to reaching my dream. It was so close!' His throat closed and he chose to ignore the tears that burned his eyes. He was not giving in without a struggle. He was going to give it his all. After all it was his way of the ninja and he always followed through with his promises. Nursing his flagging chakra he sent more to his legs, to give himself a well needed push.

Heat parched his throat but still he pressed doggedly on, knowing the poison was spreading but unwilling to take the time to rest. Cramps swamped his body, making his body spasm and contract painfully. These attacks were closer in between now. 'Konoha Naruto. Konoha. Baachan will be awed when she realizes your feat. They won't be able to say you are not fit to be given other missions. He won't have a reason to call you dobe. Come on. They wait. Konoha and Sasuke.' His step faltered but he recuperated enough to avoiding detection. He had to put as much distance between his pursuers and himself. It went against his grain, but he was slowly losing it and he knew it. His nerves were firing phantom signals that made it dangerous to travel at speed. 'Think about the mission. You have to hand in that scroll! Kyuubi, where are you! Do something!' His anguished calls were received with silence. There was a big, silent wall between them now. Usually there was at least active awareness if not an actual voice. Apparently the poison was affecting it inside its cage as much as it was killing him outside of it. The familiar warmth that was Kyuubi was sitting like a heavy rock inside his belly.

The thin, pale figure of the mask-less Anbu stumbled along the rough terrain, spooking wood creatures in its clumsy path. The mask hung drunkenly from the back of its wearer, half forgotten as the urge to breathe became imperative. Still his ever growing awareness of a bothersome voice inside his brain was interpreted as a sure signal he was dying. There it was again, harping, urging him. 'You can't leave that bastard alone again. How can you be Rokudaime if you die here? Move another foot, come on. You can do it. Naruto' a voice urged him to go faster and he pushed himself heedlessly. The voice was right. He had to make it to back to Konoha in less than 3 days. He didn't dare to stop. Death lies in stopping, his instincts cried. Red hot power moved restlessly inside him and he knew Kyuubi was struggling to conquer the poison. 'Yeah, that's it Kyu-chan.' something inside him grumbled angrily. He almost laughed. 'That's it… Get mad… Heal us… we must… live…'

Erratic heartbeat pounded inside his chest and he stumbled once more, only this time it was for real. 'This is it. I can't stand up.' He thought distantly. Unable to stand, he whimpered softly. He was slowly losing consciousness due to blood loss and poisoning and he was powerless to do anything. His brain struggled in a last ditch effort to assure his survival. From somewhere deep inside a spark shone weakly. 'Gamabunta…blood… I have… enough' concentrating feebly, he used his remaining strength to push his body into making the necessary seals to summon his toad friend. Far away, he heard something that resembled the annoying buzz of flies over an overripe watermelon. 'Order, give it an order. Fast…come on!'

He didn't understand what the reason for hurry was anymore. They were safe, the scroll was safe. He was far too tired, moving took too much effort and he deserved to rest. His brain ceased struggling and he felt himself sliding farther into the darkness. 'Come on! Order the damned toad or I will eat it!' the voice prodded with a desperate edge to it. 'Konoha, Naruto! Sasuke, Naruto! You just got him back. He still hasn't realized your worth. He needs to be put in his place and only you can do that. You haven't been able to spar properly. Kick his ass. Damn it, kit, Order him!' The voice wheedled now unwilling to let him sleep. Images and sounds accompanied those words, and a dark-eyed, pale face came forth as if summoned to his mind's eye. A spark of recognition stopped the downward slide. Suddenly the face had a name and he held onto it with both hands. "Sas'ke?" he called distantly and the image of a place brought with that another name. "Konoha." The tight, urgent voice inside his brain relaxed immediately and blessed silence fell upon his pained mind.

'Rest now, kit. That's it…breathe now…easy.' a worried voice crooned softly "Sas'ke… home?" He frowned, unable to feel his body from the chest down. "Kyu… cold… so col'… sas'…ke?' he persisted even tottering on the edge of consciousness. An exasperated voice purred impatiently, wrapping his inner self in soft, warm blankets made of curiously soft fur that both calmed and cradled him as his awareness vanished. 'Soon, kit…soon, rest now.' Gentleness swathed his pain-wrecked body and he slept.

Nekochan: OMG! I made it! Miracle of miracles! I wrote a smut-free fic! It has some shonen ai hints if you squint, but... no sex? I never thought I would see the day... -dances crazily-

Oresama Sasuke: -clears throat- I seem to recall readying Mpreg and Yaoi somewhere in the plot summary, you bitch. That surely means you will make it smutty, unless you are going for Immaculate Conception!

Nekochan: -snickers- do I detect forbidden yearnings and just a bit of jealousy in that statement?

Oresama Sasuke: -glares- Not on your life.

Naruto: Ne, ne... what's this about? Who gets pregnant?

Nekochan: -cackles evilly- Just wait and see my little grasshopper, just wait and see... So, what do you think about Gaara? eh, Sasuke-chan?

Oresama Sasuke: That's it -wraps a possessive arm around his dobe- Touch him and you're dead!


	2. Chapter 2: Midnight visitors

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. The story would be hard Yaoi if I did. Here is the 2nd chapter... its long, so be advised. Still no smut... Sasuke bastard had too much to say... sorry if I made him OOC. I couldn't resist allowing him to have a field day since he wont be a very talkative character... quite unreasonable... so shrugs There you go, please enjoy.

Chapter 2 Midnight visitors

Rain drops burst into ever growing circles under his restless eyes. Standing before the window, the steady drizzle of falling water blanketed his senses. Thunder rumbled in the distance barely daring to pierce the darkness to light his pale countenance. Not a soul stirred inside the Uchiha mansion at this hour, not one. There was only him: Uchiha Sasuke, sole survivor of a once proud clan.

Impassive eyes stared into midnight skies brooding, waiting. Cold seeped through the thin cloth of his yukata and only sheer willpower allowed him to repress a shiver. Ignoring his body's needs was almost second nature to him by this time. Still it couldn't control the goose bumps that broke through his skin like brushfire.

Pale eyelids covered coal black orbs, effectively shutting the outside world. Expanding his senses, he allowed the night scents and sounds to penetrate his mind. Being awake at this time was slowly becoming the norm but he wasn't worried. After all he'd experienced inside this place, he finally found himself at ease with it. Strangely, it pleased him.

In a way, it was a most unsettling thought. The empty corridors held no more reproachful whispers of his own weakness and not one of the ghosts that plagued his youth remained to mock his inability to defend himself anymore. The spirits stood immobile now, like guardian dogs, all their nervous energy held in check by the strength of its master's heart. He was slowly getting used to this house's company.

It was funny actually, there he was: Uchiha, Sasuke, 18, alone, a clan to restore and only his hands and a house to do it with. Still, there was no regret; after all they were essentially the same: master and servant of a lost Clan.

On a whim, he decided to explore the house. Less than 6 months of freedom, living in this place and having other things like proving himself to his village were responsible for this sudden interest. Only recently had the Anbu stopped watching over him like hawks. Only recently had Naruto started to smile when maskless around him. Things were hesitant and slow but they were progressing. Even when his friend tried to hide behind his Anbu mask, he always knew when it was his turn to watch over him. He could feel it.

'Anyway it's as good a time to reacquaint myself with this house as any.' Separating from the window, he stepped inside. Memories of a distant past danced coyly just out of reach. His naked feet echoed softly through the rooms, relaxing him. With every passing second, he half-expected to stumble into his younger, mischievous self tearing through the house like the hounds of hell were after him; which in a way they were. This was a truth few knew.

When he was a young child he had all the makings of a prankster. His face softened thinking of the many failed attempts to booby trap his brother's clothes-chest. Itachi Uchiha was a very patient kind of brother until one messed with his things. Then his face got all red and weird, his natural black eyes turned slightly red and he started bellowing I'm-gonna-kill-you-brat. He lived for those moments because only a few were ever able to ruffle Itachi-niisan's feathers. It was served as no consolation that he was one of them and he'd spent a good number of years beating himself with guilt thinking his clan's demise was the result of one too many pranks.

Rounding a corner in the hallway near the stairwell, his eyes were automatically drawn to a spot near the base of the wall. There, halfway up the wall was a spattering of hiragana traced with unsteady hands. His mind's eye produced an image of himself, writing breathlessly with a blush on his face. He could see his childish hands steadying the razor-sharp kunai to write what was rapidly becoming his favorite word. A blush blossomed in his pale face remembering his younger, more passionate self while his back twitched in sympathy for the pain wrought by his father's cane.

'Na ro te! What is this? What are you doing? How dare you blemish your ancestor's abode with childish scribbles?' his father howled like a wounded animal. The kunai clattered to the floor and he whirled, ineffectively hiding the fruits of his labor. At that moment, he'd been terrified; red-faced and sweating he was ready to faint; completely sure his father would read and understand what was so obvious to him.

At the end, his father hadn't even tried to read what was written, he just didn't care. All that mattered was the fact that he had dared to deface a wall of the all-important Uchiha Manor; that was the reason for his anger. The rest was of no consequence to him.

'Thank Kami father never realized what I had written. If he had, I wouldn't have had a chance at being the last Uchiha. I would have been a tragically dead Uchiha youth, killed by my sire's hand.'

Pale fingers traced the hiragana, knowing his mistake in spelling had probably saved his young life. 'Naruto' was in truth the name he'd attempted to write at such an early age. Maybe it was the location, his faulty hiragana or even a stroke of luck, but his father never saw the truth behind his garbled 'Na ro te'.

Embarrased despite the years, he decided to tear the damned wall down even though it was still in good repair. He didn't need a reminder of his earlier foolishness. Not this way… it was demeaning to the Uchiha pride somehow. 'Not to mention to yourself, Sasuke I-don't-need-anybody Uchiha.'

Hugging his thin yukata close, he wandered with his memories as only company. Every surface on each level, every age-stained board, every partition, and every timeworn tatami reached out to him, begging for attention. The family rooms, the kitchens, the genkan, the corridors, the well, the dining room, they all clamored for attention.

There was a new purpose to their settling sighs, a definite craving and they turned to him, their master, their last Uchiha, to provide for that need. Everywhere, the shadowy rooms seemed to stand in breathless anticipation.

'Anticipation of what? What do you want?' he asked out loud, the faint echo of his own words posing a question of its own. Outside the rain kept on pouring, isolating him from the rest of the world with a liquid barrier that kept prying eyes at bay.

"Me? I don't want for anything." He answered defiantly. "Uchihas don't want for anything. Ask anybody!" Phantom echoes of ancient laughter filled his heart and he huffed, feigning ignorance while stubbornly resisting the call of the night. This was not the first time his fanciful imagination had played tricks on his mind.

'Alas! Another first! Who would have thought that you possess an imagination to rival that of Jiraiya-san? What would your 'fans' say to that! They'd probably die of horror!' He mocked their stunned faces with a sardonic half smile.

Crossing to the veranda, he reclined lazily against the nearest post. His body was buffeted by the elements even though he was not directly exposed. 'Fine storm this has turned out to be.' He smiled one of his rare Uchiha smiles, lifting his face to meet the elements. Frigid tendrils of rain and wind tousled his hair and dampened his clothes while his own questions went tirelessly around his heart until he relented. If he was true to himself, and all Uchihas were sooner or later, he would have to accept he already knew the answer to the uncomfortable question posed by his house.

'What I want, what you want… what we want?' he echoed and felt a flickering agreement. The echoes of generations past shimmered and trembled around him. He knew the house was waiting for him to make good on his promise. It seemed to be holding its breath, anticipating the energetic patter of little feet and naughty giggles, for chubby chalk-wielding hands that had to be stopped from plastering their creative efforts over centuries old walls. In short, his was the gargantuan task of rebuilding his entire clan.

It was during nights such as this he wondered just how he was expected to fulfill those expectations. It was all too much to ask of just one man. 'We are talking about me filling up a whole house! What do they expect me to do? Create a harem of sorts to rival the gods? There is no way I am copulating with half the female population of Konoha! It would shrivel and die with disgust. I would shrivel and die with disgust!' He shuddered with loathing, cursing his dearly departed brother for his lack of common sense.

'It figures Itachi would cause me pain even after he was dead. He could have left a brat or two to help me along but no, he had to play the perfect psycho to a T.' He grumbled annoyed at his brother for leaving him with such a distasteful burden.

'Hell, even one more Uchiha would have been welcome. I could have left the other one take over this reviving issue. I don't want to bestow such a cursed blood unto the flesh of innocents.' He was not sure of his feelings regarding love, family, friendship and rivalry but he was sure he would never allow those half-crazed females to touch him, let alone carry his seed or make babies with him.

'Madness is too close to me to add obsessive-compulsiveness into the brew.' He shivered, banning from his mind the image of a pregnant Ino or Sakura tearing at him while he ran away to become the next Itachi.

Another half smile blessed his lips at his own flights of fancy. 'If only Naruto…' he stiffened, shying away from that train of thought. The accompanying nose-bleed-inducing image was strictly forbidden unless his need for sexual release became unmanageable and then only indulged sparingly. Its potency was directly related to the cruelty of his words towards his only friend and rival the next day.

There had been too many nights of breathless, guilty, addictive pleasure wrought from imagining his rival and best friend swollen with his child, his azure eyes shining with that special light that was all Naruto. Sasuke never thought to question the reason behind his late night musings. They just served to uncover a raw hunger that left him sleepless and thoughtful.

It was on nights like this, when the pain of solitude became too much of a burden to carry alone when he found himself dreaming of what ifs. What if Naruto was a girl, what if he could share his life with him, what if they could have children, a family... What if... such a stupid and lonely sound.

He fidgeted remembering his reaction to the first time he'd been exposed to Naruto's famed sexy no jutsu. Outwardly, he'd remained stoic; then again his Uchiha training was too deeply ingrained to allow him to show his true feelings in public.

'As it was, I almost jerked myself off into a coma after returning home that same day.' Absently teasing his exposed nipple to a stiff peak, he allowed his favorite fantasy to take away the cold that gathered inside his soul.

In his fantasy it was always morning. Naruto and mornings mixed somehow in his imagination. He stood before the Uchiha well with his back turned to him, wrapped in a blue yukata with a red fan pattern. He smiled: There was something incredibly sexy about his dobe surrounded with his family crest. He was sure those fans were coded into his DNA. There was something inside his gut that wanted him to brand Naruto as his, to claim him visibly. He wanted to mark him, cover him, surround him and break him so that nobody could ever challenge his claim over his blond-haired lover.

'He's mine!' he thought fiercely, his instincts screaming with jealousy.

'Possessive bastard.' He chided himself for exhibiting one of the most primitive of Uchiha urges. Possession.

'That must be the reason behind the obsessive Uchiha fan marking of everything within our sight. So that everybody refrained of touching what's ours.' The fact that he found logic within that trait disturbed him, not for long though.

Stretching his neck, he sighed with contentment, his body trapped in the sweet torture of lust and tenderness. His musings continued as his dream-self wrapped his arms around his dobe and turned him between his arms. It was at that moment he would realize the meaning of the tight, hard ball under his hands. The swollen mound proudly proclaimed to all around them that the next Uchiha heir was well on his way home; that the Uchiha clan was not just him anymore.

A dazzling smile stole his breath while a well-placed baby kick drove home the fact that his dobe was truly carrying a miracle. His miracle. A miracle that meant he would no longer have to bear this burden alone. Humbled, he would seek those warm, soft lips for a well deserved kiss as his heart overflowed with tenderness.

Grimacing at the direction his thoughts were taking, he stretched. 'It would never do to have these urges exposed to the Konohagakure population. There would be riots… Their beloved and perfect Uchiha lusting after another man! Egads!' he thought scathingly, even though painfully aware of the needs of his body.

A splashing sound followed by the heavy fall of a body nearby pushed him into a fighting stance, staring into the shadows that now appeared slightly menacing.

Stretching his senses, he detected two distinct sources of chakra. One was big, with a particular reptile taint. The other one was smaller, familiar and weaker, much too weak to be considered a threat.

Curiosity pricked at the familiarity of the chakra as he inched forward tying his wet yukata securely while allowing the top to fall around his hips to avoid it hampering his movements. First rule of the shinobi: when facing strangers with unknown intentions, better make sure you can attack and defend.

Frowning, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, stealthily approaching his front door. 'They are just standing there. Who are they? What do they want?' He waited a few minutes, the silence driving him slowly insane. His gut told him it was important he hurried but his shinobi habits were hard to repress. At the end he compromised. Rain was pouring harder now. Whoever was waiting for him to open the door would be totally drenched by now.

Unable to sense a threat and not willing to bear waiting any longer, he pushed his door open wondering if he would regret it. An almost impenetrable wall of rain rose between him and his visitors and he squinted in an effort to make out who was dropping in for a visit at this hour.

There, in the middle of the Uchiha entryway was the enormous belly of a frog guarding a fallen body. Peering harder through the gloom, he made out a shock of light hair made dull by all the muck now covering the prone body.

"Gamabunta? Naruto?" he whispered incredulously before his body fell into action. Running outside, all dignity forgotten, he kneeled beside his friend. Carefully turning around the lax body between his arms he ran an automatic first aid checklist. His friend was unconscious, breathless and deathly pale. His eyes were half closed and his body was flushed, thrashing around in fevered convulsions not even the frigid rain could appease.

"Sasuke. Konoha. Safe home, now." Gamabunta croaked and disappeared; worry lighting his beady eyes even if his mission was accomplished.

His mind barely registered the toad's words or its departure in favor of gauging Naruto's condition. Eyes running expertly over his friend's body, he noticed the barely closed wounds and caught the faintly metallic scent of blood fading in the downpour. Sasuke could see he was badly injured; he just didn't understand why he was still in this condition nor know the true extent of those wounds.

'What's kyuubi doing?' he wondered 'These wounds should be closed by now.' Worry turned his mouth into a grim line as he lifted the small body and carried him inside. 'I must find Tsunade.'

-Inane cat ramblings: read at your own peril.-

Oresama Sasuke: Oi, this is not me. I would never blush nor smile. It is beneath the Uchiha pride. Even more I would never write on a wall Naruto's name! Mispelling indeed! I was a perfect Uchiha spawn from the moment I was dropped from my dam's womb.

Nekochan: -smirks- tsk, tsk I liked that memory of yours... so human! Have you heard of literary liberties?

Oresama Sasuke: -glares- Have you heard of the Uchiha bloodlimit and what it can do when I am not pleased?

Nekochan: -pouts- then you leave me with no other option... ano sa, ano sa Naruto-kun... What do you feel about being a daddy?

Naruto: -jumps up and down for joy- Eeehhh? A baby? I would love to have a...

Sasuke: -wraps an arms around his dobe's neck, kisses him senseless, throws him over his shoulder and looks triumphantly at me.- Do what you must. Just know he is mine and nobody touches what's mine. Understood?

Nekochan: -bows respectfully but hides a knowing smirk- hai, hai Oresama Sasuke-san!


	3. Chapter 3: Out of the frying pan

**Disclaimer: Once more, Hey are you daft! I don't own Naruto. shrugs **

**To my readers:**

**Bows humbly**

Please forgive me for being so late in updating... but my master's degree is driving me nuts, along with a theater play and work, I barely have time to update. This time I bring a Looooooong chapter. Once so long I had to split it into two parts... so please bear with me. Chapter 4 is a lemon and happy tears mixed into one. Sorry if you believe my Sasuke is OOC but I am trying my best given the things I am seeing in the series and everywhere. Please review and remember I am human. We all make mistakes. If you dont like this chapter, tell me so, but also tell me why using constructive criticism. I will really appreciate it. Thank you!

**Now on with the story... **

**_Chapter 3: Out of the frying pan and into the fire_**

The fire inside the corner-stove burned brighter as the wind outside picked up in strength. Exhausted blood-shot eyes peered through the gloom, adjusting with difficulty to the flickering light.

"Run… Hot…Must deliver…Water…" the heavily bandaged blonde laying on the bed whimpered softly. Ravaged by fever, his patient fussed weakly. Stretching, he used a wet cloth to push away the sweaty hair, trying in vain to cool down his fever.

"Hush there, dobe… calm down. The mission is done. You are safe now. Rest" He whispered, moving the cloth with practiced ease over the exposed skin. Something in his voice seemed to calm the restlessness inside Naruto and he quieted after a while.

"Sponge baths feel good, ne dobe? They're certainly killing my back, you know? I hope you don't remember how many I have already given you because my Uchiha pride won't be able to outlive it." He joked softly, willing Naruto to sleep and recuperate. Moving back, he stretched a little before dropping the cloth in the wash basin's icy water.

Yawning, he waited for it to cool again before bringing it up. Wringing the damp cloth to rid it of excess moisture, he leaned over the bed to repeat the process he'd developed until now: Brow, cheeks, chin, neck, shoulders, chest, arms and hands.

'I must change his bed-linens soon.' He thought inconsequently. 'These are soaking wet.'

Straightening, he dried his brow with his sleeve before returning to the water basin by the bedside.

'This room is too stuffy, but I don't dare to open the windows. It's still too early for that.' His temperature had gone down a bit but still he didn't dare to tempt fate.

Submerging his rag inside the ice-cold basin made Sasuke shiver.

Sasuke grimaced, watching Naruto's labored breathing. Blond hair plastered over a sweaty brow made something inside his heart twist painfully.

'He really is beautiful… even sweating and sicker than a dog, he remains beautiful.' His eyes ran over the almost feminine lines of his friend's face, entranced by his beauty.

Unable to stop, he stretched his hand to lightly touch the fevered cheeks. Recently he'd discovered his legendary Uchiha self-control was not enough to stop his need for contact where his dobe was concerned. Distractedly, his fingers traced the whisker-like scars that did nothing to detract from his flawless beauty.

'I wonder what they taste like…' he thought and imagined himself leaning forward for a taste. Only when Naruto whimpered softly and leaned into the caress, did he realized his actions were real rather than imaginary. Jumping back like a scalded cat, he straightened and looked away, incredibly embarrassed.

His lips burned with the imprint of Naruto's heated skin. A red tongue darted between dry lips wanting to pick up a taste of the forbidden fruit and his gut tightened with desire once more.

'Pervert! Stop that!' he chided himself. Facing his friend once again, he noticed Naruto was once more starting to fret under the covers.

"Shh… there… you are safe now… you are home…" he whispered, using the wet rag to refresh the heated skin. Apparently he just needed some calming words and cool water because after that he quieted down easily.

Making up his mind, he stood and went outside to find the necessary items for the task at hand: bathing Naruto. He was not very comfortable with the situation as it was, but he had certainly gotten used to doing it.

The first few times had been very uncomfortable but he complied because he knew bathing Naruto was the only safe way to bring down his fever to manageable levels.

Usually this meant he had to repeat the whole bathing thing 2 or 3 times a day, every day. As it was he was just barely ahead of fever convulsions and that made him glad. Tsunade had been around many times, with and without Sakura.

At the beginning the pink-haired kunoichi had tried to weasel her way inside his house, saying she was worried about his Naruto but he'd seen through her cover. He disliked her careless liberties she took with his dobe as she…

'There you go again. He's not your anything, Sasuke. Its plain Naruto, got it?' A hard pause. Biting his lip to stem the rebellious thoughts that wanted to argue this point, he chose to ignore himself and his foolish possessiveness.

His gaze fell upon the hapless sheets that struggled to cover Naruto's body. 'If I'm going to give him a bath now, I'd better change the sheets too. I don't want him to catch a cold after getting his fever down.' He thought, glad for the distraction.

Almost ten days had passed since he found his best friend unconscious and bleeding at his doorstep. His hands curled into fists remembering the feelings of impotence and fear that swamped him. It was more than he ever cared to accept but it was true nonetheless. He grimaced, trying to banish the image of a pale and unresponsive Naruto from his mind's eye.

_-Start of Flashback-_

"Make sure to keep him warm at all times and bathe him often." Tsunade, Konoha's own Godaime wiped her brow tiredly after seeing to Naruto's wounds. The fight for his life had started early and only luck and fate kept him alive so far. She had chosen to doctor his wounds herself as apparently she didn't trust her underlings to take Naruto's well-being to heart. The frown marring her features did nothing to dispel the fear that lodged deep within his heart when he saw her expression.

"Whatever it was they poisoned him with, is powerful enough to make even Kyuubi's amazing healing abilities work overtime to contain his bleeding. As it stands, It is struggling to keep them both barely alive." His stomach tightened inside his gut and he paled visibly at her words. This was not good.

"Are you sure you have no problem letting him stay here? I'd hate to move him given his physical condition. He still hasn't stopped bleeding completely and moving him now could make the difference between life and death. There's nothing else we can do but wait and hope for the best." Tsunade's distracted monologue continued as she picked up her instruments.

Noticing her gaze turn inwards, he knew she was going over her other options, preparing for his refusal.

'As if I could…' he thought, annoyed beyond words at her attitude.

Knowing this feeling to be beneath his Uchiha dignity, but unable to let go without a fight, he took deep, calming breaths to bring himself under firm control while she continued to instruct him.

Playing with the hem of his shirt, he stared outside, feigning disinterest. His chest contracted painfully as the truth finally sank in, bringing with it unbearable sadness. He didn't trust himself not to burst into tears, tearing at his hair and howling like a wounded beast at mere thought of losing Naruto before the horrified eyes of his Hokage.

Panic was so close! It would be easy to just let go. He could almost taste her expression of horror when he did something as un-Uchiha-like as bawling his eyes out. He allowed himself a small, amused smile as it crossed his mind that being able to watch her undignified expression was almost worth losing his cool Uchiha image.

A sudden image of Naruto's mischievous smile crossed his tired mind and brought peace to his heart.

'Ah, dobe, you are bad for my reputation.' Turning around, he filled the empty basin with fresh water, holding tightly onto his emotions.

'It wouldn't do to show her how I truly feel.' He decided soberly, all traces of humor vanishing as he watched Tsunade's mouth tighten to a hard line out of the corner of his eye.

'Damn I must have lost my cue to nod approvingly. What was it she was saying?' he sobered immediately. His distant expression must have given her the wrong answer given her next words.

"I said I didn't want to move him, Uchiha-san but that doesn't mean I won't, if I so much as suspect he's not being properly taken care of." She warned, frustrated at her inability to read him.

'Damn Uchiha self-control!' she thought with irritation.

He turned and picked up the water basin she'd used to clean Naruto's wounds, clearly not paying her any mind.

"Uchiha-san! Do you understand? Uchiha… Sasuke!" she raised her voice in desperation, impatient with his apparent lack of worry.

The raven-haired youth stiffened but didn't turn around. His stiff body spoke volumes and Tsunade's intelligent eyes took in every detail. The tight lines of his body brought to attention her status as Hokage. She knew then he would not act on impulse and forcibly pull himself away from her grasp even if he wanted to.

It was also a gentle rebuke, for as an Uchiha, it was wholly beneath his dignity to acknowledge her passionate outburst or answer in kind. So it was beneath her to attempt to provoke such a response.

Comprehension dawned in her expression lightning fast and she let him go. Straightening, she speared him with dark, hot eyes bringing into play her years as first a legendary kunoichi and later Konohagakure's Godaime. This situation was too important not to make difficult questions and he, as one of Konoha's best Nin had to answer directly to her. Still the task at hand wasn't one she could delegate by only relying on obedience. He had to genuinely care or everything would be lost and Naruto would die.

'This can't be happening! There has to be somebody somewhere to care for him, to love him! Kami-sama, somebody has to care for the little bozu there other than me, Iruka or Jiraiya. I am ineffective for this task because I belong to everybody, not just Naruto, one misstep and its over.' She thought anxiously and tried to reach him again gentling her tone.

"Naruto is very, very sick. His care is of utmost importance, Sasuke. If it wasn't so dangerous I-" she stared at his unbending back, despair beginning to drown her hope. Her instincts so far hadn't been off the mark. She thought Sasuke cared about Naruto at least as much as Naruto cared for him. It seemed this time, she was wrong.

"Is it true, Sasuke? Do you hate him enough to turn your back on him now that he needs you?" she watched him closely, her eyes growing round in disbelief.

Something in her voice tugged at the remaining scraps of honesty still left in his heart. His resolve not to answer thinned with every passing second and after a while he threw her a look over his shoulder, his cheeks aflame with either embarrassment or anger.

"I promised I would take good care of him, didn't I? Then do not fear. It is my word as the Last Uchiha you are getting, Godaime-sama. I am not one to go back on my word." he said softly, piercing her with a hard look.

"But still you must understand that if you don't really care-" she tried again.

He sighed. The only way to calm her fears while still keeping his pride intact was to let her glimpse into his heart. And the only way he knew how to do that was to take off his mask and let her find the truth on her own.

'Times like these make me resent all this Uchiha pride… Damn!' Taking a deep breath, he dropped his barriers and allowed his expression to show her the paralyzing fear that ran as strong as his fierce determination to see Naruto through. There was no way he would allow death to take what was rightfully his. Words were not necessary to convey his message since apparently what she saw satisfied her. With a small smile, she nodded and left.

_-End of Flashback-_

After that she returned every other day to gauge Naruto's condition. She didn't say much nor did he talk about anything other than his patient's needs but he trusted her to tell him whenever he was doing something wrong.

Naruto was going trough periods of apparent lucidity interspersed with high fevers. Tsunade hadn't been able to explain why but still they tried their best providing his failing system with the best antidotes and remedies to boost his and the Kyuubi's chakra.

**_At the Hokage Tower_**

"Tsunade-sama, Are you sure…" Iruka started hesitantly, clearly unwilling to voice his opinions. He'd waited for her return from visiting the Uchiha complex; he was that desperate for news about Naruto's welfare.

Iruka didn't try to visit because from the moment Naruto brought Sasuke back from Orochimaru, he'd buried himself inside Uchiha territory only coming out for missions and the like.

Eight months ago, the council passed judgment over him and it was decided he would prove himself to Konoha by doing small tasks until they got increasingly harder. Last week he'd finally received permission to become an active ANBU inside Naruto and Neji's team.

'Even if she grows angry, Naruto's safety comes first.' He squared his shoulders. Kakashi had warned him against this course of action, but he insisted. He was not sure Tsunade was even aware of certain incidents when she made her decision and he felt they had to be taken into consideration given the gravity of the situation at hand.

"Sure of what?" she turned with a distracted air.

Suddenly unable to talk, he shot Kakashi a desperate look over his shoulder. The silent man shrugged from his place against the window, watching Iruka grow desperate. Knowing no help would be forthcoming from that quarter; he straightened.

Turning around, he froze, watching Tsunade's expression go from distracted to curious to impatient and was well on its way into anger before he reacted. He was busy stammering an apology when Kakashi decided to step in.

"He actually wants to know if you are completely sure of the wisdom of your decision. He is afraid for Naruto's welfare since the Uchiha's been less than eager to let us visit at the complex during the past weeks." He smiled disarmingly, knowing the kind of bomb he'd just dropped on kind Iruka's lap.

'Well, I told him not to do this.' Kakashi thought, pushing down his concern.

Iruka paled when Tsunade turned her impassive eyes towards him, raising her eyebrow with displeasure. He straightened his spine; he was not leaving without some answers!

"Other than the fact that he returned from Orochimaru's grasp just a few months ago, he hasn't been able to gain my trust yet. The council just gave him permission to become part of the ANBU but that does not relieve my mind. In the past months he's used his kunai to threaten Sakura with bodily harm more than twice! And he beat Kiba within an inch of his life for daring to sneak past the main gates! I understand his need for privacy and maybe Sakura really did push him with her stalking ways. Still, I'm not sure we can trust him! We don't know if this is a trap and then Naruto would be in the midst of danger if it is! " Iruka pressed on recklessly, his fear tightening his stomach.

Understanding dawned on her face. A tired sigh left her lush lips and she sat down. 'Naruto, it is always you. One way or the other… Kami-sama, I need some sake…' she reclined on her chair, trying to ignore the dull throb starting at the base of her skull.

"Naruto himself vouched for Sasuke's worthiness, so did I. He has not done anything to make us fear Naruto's welfare at the Uchiha complex. The fact that he was just given ANBU responsibilities by the council should set your mind at ease not further your worries, Iruka-sensei." She massaged her neck surreptitiously, trying to reign in her temper and avoid inflicting bodily harm into this kind man even if her patience was currently spread way too thin.

"I don't mean to be disrespectful or anything, but I don't find that reassuring. He still hasn't proven himself or his worth to us and using Naruto as a guinea pig is not only unfair it is downright reckless." Iruka insisted from his side of the room.

"You are accusing me of using Naruto's welfare as a way to prove the Uchiha's worthiness? Is that what you mean?" Her eyes searched Iruka's, searching for confirmation. When he lowered his gaze, she hissed angrily. "How dare you question my decisions? You are overstepping yourself, Iruka-sensei! You seem to forget who I am!"

"I am not trying to do that… please understand." His eyes sought hers and his voice cracked. His kind heart lurched painfully as he finally realized he was hurting her with his words. "That… I just care for Naruto's welfare… I didn't mean to be disrespectful."

"Then what is it? You keep on questioning the wisdom of my choices, saying to my face I am using Naruto to test the Uchiha's loyalties! If that does not count as doubting my wisdom then pray tell me what does?" She argued fiercely, looking around for her sake, public opinion be damned.

"She has a point there, Iruka." A lazy voice cut the tension, reminding them they were not alone.

Iruka had the grace to blush as he realized that in his worry he'd probably alienated the only person able to take Naruto away from his captor and into a safer place.

"I… I" he tried, feeling miserable.

"Don't tease him, Tsunade-san. Iruka-sensei is just worried about him. You know how he gets whenever he thinks Naruto's welfare is at risk." Kakashi cajoled softly from his perch, hating to see two people with the same concerns hurting each other.

"He should remember I also worry about Naruto. His welfare has always been the main issue here." She countered furiously, refusing to look at either of them.

Iruka's eyes went from one to the other, biting his lip. "Please forgive me, Tsunade-sama. I didn't mean to question your decisions or anything of that sort, it's just that…" he hesitated but plunged ahead, he was going to say his piece one way or the other. "I am not sure Sasuke is the best candidate to take care of Naruto in his actual state."

"And just who is going to take care of him if we take him away from the Uchiha? You?" she turned and pinned him in place with a frosty glare. Iruka gaped like a fish, scratching his scar compulsively while looking around for an answer.

"You seem to forget you are not the only one wanting to drop everything and take care of Naruto, Iruka. I too want to do the same but as the Hokage it is my duty to look out for everybody's welfare, even if my heart is set on protecting just one. You are the same, Iruka-sensei. I need you at the academy teaching, not at home playing nurse." With a pause, she glanced at the masked man to the left.

"Other than the Uchiha, who could be up to the task of nursing Naruto back to health? Kakashi? He is not exactly the nurturing type, if you understand my meaning, and Jiraiya is not even an option. I need somebody to take care of him but I am not leaving him under the care of a pervert." She stood, rage flashing in her dark eyes, moving to come around her desk.

"Just who did you have in mind? My medic-nin-in-training, Haruno-chan? His other friends Kiba, Hinata, Tenten, Inu, Choji? Think about it, Iruka. They are all strong and capable Nins currently performing other missions. Between them they don't possess the necessary maturity to care for a plant, let alone nurse a gravely ill Naruto back to health. They are used to a self-healing Naruto, always laughing his aches away not one that struggles for his life just like they would if they'd survived such an attack." She was on a roll now; there was no way she was going to stop without drawing intellectual blood.

She was also frustrated because she couldn't find anybody better than the Uchiha to care for her Naruto and she was damned if she was going to allow Iruka to badmouth her choice even if she had done so too.

"Even, Sai my assistant would rather stab him in the heart than care for the wounds of the 'fox devil' that bewitched Konoha's finest including 2 Hokages, namely Sarutobi-san and me." She smiled at the foolishness of that thought. Naruto was like her younger brother, a strong, intelligent child worthy of love and admiration. Returning to the conversation at hand she continued.

"So, that would only lead us to the Konohagakure Hospital, hordes of doctors and nurses and their ideas regarding 'merciful death' and Naruto. Fate has played him for a fool, handing him a heavy load to bear on his own. Through no fault of his own, nobody in this village will ever volunteer to take care of Naruto and we all know why. Yondaime intended his to be a happy life, cherished and admired as our hero. Regretfully, he never took into consideration human narrow-mindedness, vengefulness and ignorance. Thus his purpose was defeated and his precious sacrifice all but lost." She paused, her expression heavy with grief and resentment.

"Inside the hospital ward, he would be alone, exposed and in constant danger of being 'put to sleep' with every passing minute. I would have to make Naruto a virtual prisoner to protect him. Imagine just how Naruto, our #1 loudmouth ninja would react to that." She stole a glance at her companions, glad to see comprehension light their expressions.

"Surely you understand that is not an option, gentlemen. Naruto stays where he is at until he recuperates. Understood?" She queried with finality, daring them to argue.

Nodding in silence, Iruka left, his arguments charred into ashes by the blue flames of his Hokage's righteous anger.

**_There... I hope this was good enough for you guys. Now please review constructively if you dont like it... ok? Sorry if my Sasuke is too OOC but that's the man lurking inside my mind._**


	4. Chapter 4: and into the fire!

**Remember, this is a continuation of chapter 3... I decided to split it in half to give your eyes a rest. This is what happens when you leave me alone with my stories for almost a month... nyan! Gomen! Hope you like it... enough with the rant,ne?**

**On with the story!**

Chapter 4: …and into the frying pan.

_**At the Uchiha Manor, later that same day**_

"It's time for your bath, Naruto-chan." He announced lightly, trying to take some of the tension out of the situation. He always found it easier to bathe Naruto after dusk, when the shadows stretched enough to hide his embarrassment and desire. Thankfully it was almost nightfall by the time he finished washing Naruto's clothes and making his own dinner.

After the first few days, he'd started to force himself to leave Naruto to do the necessary tasks to ease taking care of him. He still slept in the same room and almost never left him alone unless it was strictly necessary.

The tasks needed to facilitate nursing Naruto included taking a healthy dose of 'foolishness' as he dubbed sake to ease his embarrassment when faced with this particular task. He'd grown resistant to sake through the years but he still didn't drink enough to render himself useless. He'd learned to use sake this way during his time at Otogakure no Sato every time he had to perform for Orochimaru.

He shuddered, his mind shying away from those memories as he drank some more. It was sheer mental and physical torture to bathe his beloved's naked body. Having to keep his touch impersonal when all he wanted to do was devour him was terrible; especially when he was aware that Naruto couldn't do or say anything to avoid his touch.

Mind pleasantly numb due to the sake, he went back to Naruto's room, as he now called what used to be his parents room. Spreading a clean futon close to the stove, he returned to the bed and wrapping him in a dry blanket, he lifted the heated body with one fluid motion.

"You are much too thin, we must do something about this, you know." He commented worriedly before depositing his precious cargo on the futon.

Once sure Naruto would stay put and was as comfortable as he could make him, he went back to bed and peeled away the sweat-soaked sheets and rolled the dirty futon to be taken outside to be aired. After a few minutes, he returned with another, fluffier futon to prepare Naruto's bed with fresh sheets and new pillows.

Once done, he smiled feeling accomplishment glow inside his chest. Content with his handiwork, he turned and walked towards the sleeping man near the stove.

"Ok, dobe. It's your turn now. Are you ready to show the world your best side? Yeah? Let's see." He drawled caustically, pushing down the sleeves of his light yukata to let them fall around his hips. Washing Naruto usually meant he was also getting wet and hot, really hot and bothered.

He drew a bath for Naruto using a large wooden tub big enough to fit him that was normally reserved for hand washing silk and other household clothes. Warm, fragrant water filled the tub and he carefully deposited his dobe inside the water.

Naruto shivered convulsively, his skin breaking into goose bumps since the water was cooler than his body's heated flesh.

"There, there… Naruto. This is necessary to make you feel better, ok?" he whispered, pouring slightly colder water over his body. Using the wash cloth to build up a bit of lather, he washed his neck, shoulders, arms, hands and chest taking mental notes on his condition for later analysis.

In his efforts to keep both Naruto's modesty and his sanity intact, he usually covered 'that place' with a spare wet towel since the water was barely at hip level. His hands worked over him with utmost care, lifting, bending and washing to bring his fever down.

'Hell, bathing him is more of a punishment for me than all Konoha's seen fit to throw my way! But it's a punishment I am not relinquishing until I absolutely have to.' Maneuvering his lax body forward, he washed his lean back, appreciating the fact that his bruises and scratches were fading.

'Kyuubi seems to be doing way better too.' He thought with a satisfied smile. Bathing Naruto always made him feel better because he could see real progress and he would feel closer to his beloved.

Helping him to recline back against the tub, he rolled up another towel to serve as neck pillow while he washed the hard strong legs, taking care of his healing wounds. His wash cloth slipped from his hand into the murky depths of the bathwater. Groaning, he rolled his eyes and fished around for the wet cloth. There was a slight shift in Naruto's position and his hand grazed against his package under the 'modesty towel'. Blood rushed to his groin and his modesty vanished.

_**This part was all NC-17, so if you want to read this, you know where to go. Still its a shame I had to edit this for content...just imagine a tub half full of bathwater, a wet cloth, a naked and weak naruto, a half drunk and perverted Sasuke and you will get the idea. It ends with them promising to love each other... with Kyuubi's tacit approval.**_

A shiver, a gasp and the tightening of Naruto's legs around his head told him his lover was aware and not too happy with his perverted ideas. Breathing softly over the heated skin, he heard more than saw Naruto's body lurch with passion. A pained gasp followed and he stopped. Guilt speared his heart and he retreated, searching for Naruto's eyes.

"I… I'm sorry I hurt you… I… love you so much… and I couldn't stop… please… I…" he tried, unable to look away from the azure gaze. He tried to sit up, but winced as pain speared his groin. A helpless smile crossed his face and Sasuke moved lightning fast to his side, embarrassment and guilt forgotten in his attempt to help him. Naruto reclined against the man holding him safe and smiled, pulling him in for a kiss.

"I'm glad it was you… Teme… I love you too. You did good…" he whispered softly against his lips before he slid into deep slumber once more.

Chewing his reddened lower lip, he frowned noticing for the fist time Naruto's fever seemed to be back with a vengeance.

'Damn you are still too hot, koi.' His heart was tearing apart with renewed worry. Struggling to his feet, he carried his precious cargo to the futon further down the room. Laying him down, he kissed the pale cheek, nuzzling his beloved tenderly. His body buzzed with the echoes of the pleasure given and received but his mind was not able to relax.

He should be happy to have him all to himself and his love returned, but in truth he wasn't. Worry gnawed on his mind like a living beast, relentlessly, mercilessly. He was glad he had captured his heart but he worried about their future. He couldn't let go of the love he'd found in Naruto, never in a thousand years he would have thought possible their love would be able to exist.

'He is too good for me, but I am not going to let him go.' He knew he was a greedy and selfish bastard but then that was Uchiha Sasuke for you.

**_5 days later, Uchiha mansion_**

'It's been two weeks since she warned me. 14 whole fucking days… She comes around most days but his fever isn't getting any better. He stopped bleeding and is now healing nicely but I am not so sure I can keep that promise anymore.' He thought.

Naruto's fever hadn't broken and he still hadn't awakened other than that one time. He looked away with embarrassment, still unable to believe he'd pushed inside Naruto when he was so sick. He was going to atone for this as soon as he awoke, because he needed the love his dobe promised him. He wondered if Naruto would remember their time together.

'He has to! He was lucid enough, participating eagerly, urging me to push harder inside his body… Geez, control yourself Uchiha! A bit of sex and you are all ready to go again. Remember that the next day he was burning with fever again and you had a heck of a time hiding away the proof of your involvement.' He colored, remembering his embarrassment and inability to meet the Hokage's eyes the day she visited after making love.

She'd become curious when she found him outside scrubbing madly at a futon while his face burned a bright red. When she called his name he'd paled and almost fainted on the spot. He'd dissembled when she asked what was wrong, answering truthfully that he was just tired and cranky. Tsunade offered to send people to help Sasuke care for him during that time but he didn't want anybody else inside his house. Tsunade-sama was due back here in a few hours but Naruto's condition remained unchanged.

As it was, only she was allowed inside the Uchiha compound and the reason for that was Naruto's critical condition. It was clear to everybody that Naruto's health was more important than his own foolish pride.

"Come on dobe, wake up already! You've been lying there far too long. I promised Tsunade-baachan… Come on, dobe! Don't make me a liar! It's been more than a week already, Naruto… Remember you promised to stay with me? You said you loved me, remember? You still have a lot of love to receive from me. I am not giving you up, even if you don't remember. You are mine just as I am yours." Tears blurred his view and he lowered his head, "I even made you some Ramen… Please… I need you…"

'What would he say if he ever heard me talk like that, so utterly out of character? Keep up the hope. He will get better. After all, he is Uzumaki, Naruto, ne? He is the man I love and he will not break a promise.' the knot in his solar plexus tightened and a sob escaped his chest closely followed by another, for once too tired to keep his infamous Uchiha persona of uncaring aloofness.

"Please Naruto… Please! I promise to tell you about my feelings, just get better… please…" he begged, his fingers burrowing on the blanket covering the still body of the only person that had ever made it past his defenses and into his heart.

"Sas'ke?" the trembling voice muttered softly before stilling. Tense, Sasuke straightened slowly, staring at the still figure on the bed. Surely he was imagining things. His heartbeat thundered inside his ribcage as he gently prodded Naruto, trying to keep hope from flaring inside his heart.

"Naruto?" There was no response, but his mind immediately registered the clammy feel of the skin under his fingers. It was a few seconds before his mind registered the meaning of the rapidly cooling body. Naruto's fever had broken. Something inside him snapped, making him laugh compulsively as he caressed his dobe's cold face nervously.

"Sas'ke?" a confused dobe eyed him warily but at peace with himself.

"It broke… Usuratonkatchi… it finally fucking broke!" he laughed, sobbing unknowingly, his shaking hands making sure the fever had finally receded. The back of his hands registered tears falling over them and he straightened with a confused frown.

'Tears?' Surprised he touched his cheeks and discovered them to be his. Closing his eyes, he smiled to himself. There was a loosening feeling inside his chest as the tears he'd held at bay for three long days finally came to the surface.

'Naruto's safe… Thank you Kami… I am glad! Dobe, I… Thank you Gods! Thank you!' He cried long and hard, truly past caring about pride, honor or self control. There was only one thing on his mind as his soul overflowed: Naruto, his beloved dobe, was safe.


	5. Chapter 5: Sunflowers and Ice

_Disclaimer: I dont own Naruto nor do I receive any monetary rewards for writing this fanfic._

_Here is the latest chapter before I continue adding to it and it has to be split in two again... forgive me if you don't like, but this is what I have for this chapter... I am trying to update quickly, but school is being a bitch... nyan! Anyway... on to the new chapter..._

**Chapter 5: Sunflowers and Ice**

"Wake up dobe. It's time for your medicines." He announced, biting his lip in concentration as he opened the door, balancing the tray with one hand. The morning was cool enough to merit using a warm yukata and socks, so he had to be extremely careful to avoid an accident.

"Oi, dobe!" he called, watching the tray's contents carefully to prevent any spills, he made his way inside the darkened room. Small quick steps propelled him towards the bed where he set the tray over a low table before kneeling. Stretching a hesitant arm, he shook his dobe's shoulder gently.

"Naruto… wake up!" he trapped his lower lip in a failed attempt to trap the smile that bloomed over his face as he took in the beauty of the scene. Naruto slept curled on his side, his tan skin in sharp contrast with the pale futon. The sleeping man rubbed his cheek against his pillow, making small noises before he settled into deep slumber once again.

'It almost makes me regret waking him up.' He thought with a half smile. Sasuke lightly skimmed the other's cheek, nose and ears, taking in the peacefulness before burying his hand on the lush golden hair. His heart swelled with pride as he took in the golden beauty that was his dobe, his usually animated face relaxed in sleep, without fever or pain. You could still see the last few weeks on his thin cheekbones, but he was well on his way to recovery.

Shaking harder now, he called. "Come on, the food's getting cold, dobe!"

The blonde snuggled into his pillow, unwilling to let go of his dreams. Yawning, Naruto unfurled slowly and stretched kittenishly, blinking sleepily and moaning softly. Vivid blue eyes roamed his surroundings and he smiled, still half asleep.

As if in realization he tensed suddenly, making Sasuke's heart contract painfully. These days, it was becoming the norm that as soon as Naruto became aware of his presence, his relaxed expression would vanish without a trace, leaving tight, serious lines behind.

With a sigh, he leaned forward to help Naruto sit. His limbs were tense and awkward in the morning silence. Detaching emotionally from the situation, he went about performing his assigned task, namely pile enough pillows under Naruto back to allow him to try eating on his own.

"There. Miso Pork Ramen. Tsunade-sama said you could try solids today." Sasuke muttered with apparent aloofness while setting the tray on Naruto's lap. Not waiting for an answer he stood up and started moving, stowing away all that was not needed within the room.

"Is it true?" The unmoving blonde queried abruptly, his voice an unintelligible murmur that pierced the companionable silence.

"What do you mean?" he asked with a slight edge, desperate for time. Naruto was not meeting his gaze and that meant trouble. He crossed the room to open the sliding door that led into the Uchiha manor's inner garden, trying to cover his restlessness and buy some time.

"Is it true, Sas'ke?" he repeated, staring furiously at his own shaking hands. Unable to stand the silence, he looked up, his eyes reflecting his confusion. Onyx eyes hesitated before meeting confused blue ones and he knew. Unprepared to answer, he cleared his throat and offered a crooked smile, hoping to evade. Cocking his head, he approached the bed.

"Are you done with this? You should eat more, Dobe." He commented seriously, outwardly bemused while his inner self shivered. Blue eyes pierced his with a frank gaze, his cheeks beet red but glinting stubbornly. He was getting an answer even if he had to smother himself with embarrassment to get them.

"Did we… didwereally… you know… um… fuck?" Naruto's voice trailed down to a mere whisper, choking on that last word, his face aflame.

Sasuke froze. He was kneeling by Naruto's bed, in the process of retrieving Naruto's mostly uneaten breakfast tray. Holding his gaze, he noted every detail as the scene unfolded before his wary eyes.

The brisk morning air, cold and pure against his face; the morning sun shining benevolently and chasing the shadows away; the cicadas with their usual morning song; the bamboo fountain's counterweight hitting the stone with a resounding 'tac, tac, tac' repeatedly until drowned under his thundering heartbeat.

He couldn't believe his dobe had gotten past his initial embarrassment to ask the question he himself hadn't dared to pose. Sasuke's eyes closed and he leaned back, resting his weight against his heels.

'Three days… Three damned days have passed since the fever broke. Great! Uchiha, you get extra points for courage. You let three days of relative calm because you were too scared to tell him of your feelings.' He seethed inside his mind, angry at himself while his balled fists shook.

After the pleasurable night ended and cold reason returned, he had reviewed the situation, going over every detail to see if there was any way he could have behaved differently while still being true to himself. He still hadn't found an option that didn't end with him making love to his best friend while he was still recuperating. It had been too much. As it was, he had to struggle to keep his hands off his dobe.

He knew Naruto's heart belonged to somebody else. In his dobe's heart there was only space for one: Sakura. Naruto was never going to return his feelings no matter how long he waited. His instinct told him the only way left to him was physical. His spirit needed Naruto and he was willing to accept if not the heart, then his body; making love to Naruto had been his way of claiming his dobe, at least in his mind and he was not sorry.

Sasuke sighed with defeat. There was the problem. He would not repent. He had tried to shame himself into begging forgiveness as soon as Naruto awakened, but in truth he couldn't find anything to regret other than not confessing his feelings before allowing anything to happen.

"Is it true, Sasuke?" Naruto insisted, fed up with the silence. His voice cracked slightly, reminding Sasuke that he was still weak from his illness.

Blinking, he turned to face the blonde, wondering how long it had been since he had last spoken. A delightful blush stole over Naruto's nose and his lips curled in appreciation.

"Teme!" Naruto huffed and turned away, crossing his arms: his blush deepened.

Sobering, he suddenly realized he had 2 options: deny everything and make him think it was just a dream or own up to his actions. His heart contracted painfully and his hands sweated copiously at the mere idea of losing Naruto after glimpsing paradise. Steeling his resolve, he chose.

"Yes, it is true. Four nights ago we had sex in this same room." He whispered finally, his piercing gaze searching the blonde's gaze; his distinct words filling the room.

The blonde stiffened, his hands fisted the sheets under them. Sasuke closed his eyes. 'Please Kami Sama… don't let him reject me. Please help me to make him see…' he thought desperately.

It was a few minutes before Naruto chose to break the silence that shrouded the room. Sasuke swore his blonde could hear his heart beating, it was pounding savagely inside his chest, waiting for the judgment that would damn him or set him free. His patience was nearing the end of its rope when his dark eyes met with brilliant blue.

"Sasuke?" he started, full of hesitation. The black haired Uchiha winced hating the meekness audible in that tone. The blonde's voice held a thousand questions rolled into one. Once more he lifted his gaze to meet the confused azure gaze.

"Ano… Um… Was it for real? Did you really meant to say you loved me?" he whispered, his whiskered cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Sasuke shivered. 'It's now or never. If you don't answer to his questions you will surely lose him, Uchiha. Get your act together!' he warned himself.

Apparently his silent brooding gave his beloved the wrong impression because after a while Naruto's cute blush paled and his lips curled inwards, into a smile too painful to behold.

Sasuke watched in stupefaction as his dobe burrowed deep inside the futon, turned around and covered his head with the blankets without saying a word.

"Oi! Dobe what are you doing? If you ask a question at least wait for the answer before going to sleep!" he grouched angrily, trying to get a rise out of the silent blonde.

"Forget it… it was stupid to believe you would actually mean it." Naruto whispered brokenly from his warm cocoon.

Naruto POV

Suddenly, the weight inside his heart got too much to bear and he bit his lips as tears started to gather. He had sex with his best friend, his rival, his most precious person and the only man he would ever love: Uchiha Sasuke.

He couldn't understand how he had messed up so royally. He felt stupid for not fighting, but then, he thought himself loved. He knew Sasuke was used to being fawned over and possibly he just needed to let go of his steam. Naruto just happened to be convenient, that was all. Sasuke never meant his words as something other than a means to his end. He shuddered. He had been so happy, so full of hope when his dazed memories remembered Sasuke's words! It really had been a terrible disillusion to discover himself duped, not loved.

'It's too much to hope for, stupid. You are not worthy of love and you know it, Kyuubi holder.' He punished himself with his words, turning his hate inwards as fresh tears poured from his soul.

Sasuke POV

There was nothing he could do but watch helplessly as too thin shoulders shook convulsively. He didn't need to be a genius to know he had succeeded spectacularly in breaking his beloved's heart.

Sasuke growled deep inside his chest, wanting only to rear back and kick his stupid self when he realized he had lost a precious opportunity to open his heart. His thrice damned Uchiha pride was interfering with his only chance at happiness and he was not standing around to let it happen.

"Naruto" he squeaked and frowned. His nerves were betraying him.

'This is so undignified.' He thought distractedly. His expression turned serious when he noticed that the bundle in bed was not paying attention.

"Naruto, hey! Dobe!" he kneeled beside the futon and stretched his hand haltingly towards the cloth covered hip. His heart tugged painfully as the bony hip flinched at his touch.

"I'm tired…" his broken voice told him his dobe was crying under the blankets.

'Of course! What did you expect! For a genius, you are very dumb, Uchiha! Your silence only told him it was not true! That you just used him but never meant for him to believe you! Talk damn it!' His inner Sasuke raged against his stoic nature.

This whole thing called forth feelings he was certainly not prepared to process even if he did feel them.

"Dobe, please." He insisted.

"Go away, Teme…" he mumbled, his faltering voice barely understandable due to the contained sobs that shook his stiff back.

Fed up, his warring self chose to regroup. His Uchiha possessiveness vanquished his Uchiha pride and he acted on instinct alone. His beloved was suffering and he had nobody to blame other than his own stubborn self.

Lifting his koi with a firm grip, he hauled his blonde from the bed, lifted him effortlessly into his lap and sat down on. Naruto squeaked with alarm at the sudden movement, his tears forgotten as he squirmed desperately.

"What, hey!" he protested, his surprised blue eyes sparkling with unshed tears that left wet trails on his cheeks as they overflowed. Sasuke's heart contracted painfully as he was proven right once again. His expression turned forbidding while he berated himself for his own callousness. Naruto cringed.

"I am trying to talk here, dobe." He replied tartly. "I want your attention on me, not on my pillow."

"Lemme go, Sasuke bastard!" he growled as menacingly as he could, trying to break his bruising hold while feeling as weak as a kitten. He cursed inwardly, raging at his own stupidity and weakness.

Sasuke grinned, for once forgetting the gravity of the situation and drinking in the sheer magnificence of the enraged creature between his arms.

Realizing the futility of his efforts, Naruto stilled to recover his energies. His strength was sapped and he huffed breathlessly, regretting his impulsive actions. Dark eyes seized the situation accurately and adjusted his hold accordingly, bringing him even closer.

"Stay still, Usuratonkachi." Sasuke nuzzled his ear with a smile, while Naruto gasped softly, his body suddenly weak as heat spread over his belly.

The sullen blonde glared knives into him, pushing against his restraining embrace trying to free himself to no avail. His tears made his eyes shimmer like crushed sapphires and Sasuke's jaw stiffened.

"You still haven't heard me say my piece, Dobe." He started. A gasp received his word and Naruto again started to struggle.

"Teme, don't call me that!" He complained loudly, unwilling to have his weakness exposed and his feelings ridiculed.

"Let go, Sas'ke!" he insisted, losing energy with every jerk of his head.

'God I hate being this weak! Kyuubi! Where are you!' he asked closing his eyes and laying suddenly still.

Sasuke frowned, noticing the pallor under Naruto's skin.

'This can't be good. I must hurry and let him rest some more. But it is not easy…' he growled and felt his dobe flinch through the blanket.

"Look, dobe. Hear me out. I am just going to repeat this once ok?" he asked watching the immobile bundle for a sign he was paying attention and not devising a new strategy for revenge. He quaked, thinking of Naruto's previous ploys.

"I… I… you… um… Damn it!" he grind out, blushing hotly. "I was worried… um… that is… I do… care… about you…" the blonde head was suddenly all ears. Sasuke felt sweat run down his spine as his pride warred with his feelings.

"I… am not… 100 sure… but still I… think I… um…" He faltered to a mere whisper, the grand confession he had in mind all but forgotten. To his eternal chagrin, his great Uchiha mind was completely blank out of a sudden.

"Does that mean you care for me… like a friend?" the blonde queried doubtfully from his place in his lap.

"NO! I… mean… that is… Um… I…" he tried again. He couldn't understand. Uchiha's didn't falter and most certainly they didn't stammer. 'Get a grip, Sasuke!'

"Oh! Now I understand!" Naruto straightened in his lap, his playful expression lulling Sasuke into a false sense of security. The blonde nin started talking animatedly, without a care, his cheerful voice in direct contrast with the harshness of his words.

"You just mean that you wanted to get laid, right? Tch, Bastard! You should have said so earlier! If you only wanted an easy lay and there was nobody but stupid Naruto available, it was obvious you would have to use him! After all he was conveniently spread all over your bed, right? Don't worry… I understand! The mighty Uchiha took care of dead-last Naruto for long enough." He sounded so reasonable, so logical that Sasuke's hairs rose with horror.

Naruto's eyes screamed in anger, his hurt and his feelings of betrayal more painful for him than an explosive tag going off around Sasuke's heart.

"You know what? I've an itch! Let's have Naruto scratch it!" he guffawed mockingly wanting for once to hurt Sasuke as much as he hurt inside. His years with Jiraiya had finally paid off as his sarcasm and cunning finally came to bear fruit. The raven before him watched him with a stunned expression that was almost painful to watch. Still he pushed on.

"Foolish little dobe who'd never a chance to oppose you, the Great Uchiha Prodigy! T'was damn easy, ne? Well done, Sasuke! It was the best I deserved, filthy beast that I am, right? Congratulations, you did great!" Naruto raged venomously, staring intently into black eyes that looked away in shame. Seeing that reaction made his heart crack inside his chest, his betrayed trust and mixed feelings making it unbearably painful to be so close to Sasuke. Angry at himself for feeling betrayed, he renewed his efforts to leave.

Sasuke POV

Eyes hardening with resolve, he noticed Naruto's feelings run amok all over his expressive face. The moment Naruto's face registered betrayal and sadness, he felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He relaxed his grip enough to let Naruto move farther away to sit on the futon facing the door. There has to be something he could say to make him understand. 'Think Uchiha, Think!'

Normal POV

"Naruto… it was not like that! I… T'was not just a lay…" he tried to explain but his pride was proving to be too much for his struggling emotions. Deep silence fell between them. After a while Naruto relented, exhaustion tingeing his expression once more.

"If, as you said before, it's not just sex and it's neither love nor friendship either, then… what was it, Teme? A pity fuck? A friendly fuck? A celebratory the-dobe-is-not-dead fuck? What, Sasuke? You are not making any sense. After, all a fuck is a fuck regardless of reason. Talk!" he demanded reasonably, tears starting to roll down his too pale cheeks. His body quivered with the effort of containing not only the Kyuubi but the terrible maelstrom inside his soul.

"Stop… Naruto, don't… I know I feel something... I just can't say what… please understand…" Sasuke begged miserably, his prodigious brain unable to think of ways how make it better without damaging his pride.

"Teme! Are you saying you actually feel something for me?" he scoffed before pulling the blanket tighter to his body. The cold was somehow seeping inside his very soul.

"Come on bastard, don't lie! Mighty Uchihas don't have feelings! That's completely under your dignity. You told me so yourself, remember?" he offered his silent rival a sardonic smile.

"You may think I'm stupid and maybe I am, but don't try to fool me into thinking what you feel for me is something other than passing lust. Yeah, Lust, Sasuke, not love! What you call love's all a sham!" he spat with disgust before a slap broke his argument.

Naruto's face stayed turned to the side, slowly digesting the turn of events. Sasuke stared at his smarting hand in disbelief, unable to believe he had just hit his beloved.

He turned slowly to watch Sasuke, studying him while nursing his battered cheek; he could taste blood on the inside of his cheek. Indigo eyes reflected betrayal a second before they hardened and hid under his bangs.

"Tch," He spat to the side "The reason is not exactly love, nor pity, nor friendship, nor sex… very clear, Uchiha. So, tell me, what was it? What made you fuck your rival into the futon, bastard?" there was no response and Naruto closed his eyes.

Leaning forward he continued, "I can still feel you deep inside me, Uchiha! I can still hear your voice pledging your love! Accept it, Uchiha. It was a lie. Don't try to cover your actions with meaningless words. I know sex. It's mindless just like you were. You were the one who said you loved me. You were the one who whispered you were sorry for hurting me…" he paused, hugging himself to keep the tears at bay.

"Tell me to my face it never happened! Come on! I dare you! Just now, you hit me for telling you the truth! Now, I dare you to do it again as I call you a rapist, you fucking coward! You used me, damn you! And not only that, now you pretend to fool me!" His voice trembled as he whispered passionately. A draft caressed his overheated cheek and he shivered, trying to control the sobs that threatened to escape any minute. The black haired man before him stayed silent under his verbal assault which angered him even more.

"You can't answer, can you? It's obvious you are just trying to pull a smokescreen before my eyes." He fell silent, his anger threatening to throttle him in its intensity. Suddenly, his blue eyes brimmed over and the tears he'd been fighting all along fell unchecked down his cheeks. He was so tired.

"Fine… If this is what you want, I'll play the dobe and say that what happened never did. That you never lay a finger on me, that you never used my body to sate your lust; that I couldn't deny you and you practically raped me; that you used love as an excuse. That now you say you feel something but don't know what. I'll forget everything, bastard. It was a mistake. I understand and forgive… Now please… go." He murmured tiredly, crawling to the side to lean on the futon and closing his eyes.

"Naruto." Sasuke's heart shrank with fear. He could feel the moment Naruto's heart withdrew. In all his years outside of Konoha, not once had he felt like this. His soul cried in anguish at the pain of losing Naruto.

Unwilling to allow this, he pulled Naruto shoulder around to force him to face him. The surprised man grappled with him, unwilling to surrender even if he was at the end of his strength.

"I… Uzumaki… I… Naruto… Enough!" he closed his eyes for a second trying to bring his temper under control.

Naruto's trashing about had only succeeded in provoking his body and he was fighting his body's honest reaction to the desire his dobe provoked in him. Pale eyelids rose, unveiling twin sharingan red eyes twirling lazily just inches from his beloved's blue eyes.

Naruto POV

Naruto's heart skipped a beat noticing the deadly Uchiha bloodline come to the surface. 'Something about this upsets him enough to make him feel threatened.' Naruto thought irrelevantly, trying to hide his confusion behind his resistance, his body fighting for breath.

Normal POV

"Lemme go, dammit! Now!" Naruto swore, just a bit afraid, his almost empty stomach contracting painfully.

Fed up with his struggling dobe, Sasuke straddled his dobe and using the blanket to contain his movements, tightened his grip mercilessly until he heard a gasp of pain under him.

Once all movement ceased, he used his knees to immobilize Naruto before moving to uncover his face. He was staring pointed to the side stubbornly avoiding his eye. With a sigh, he forced it back gently. Then, he waited for Naruto to open his eyes, hating himself for being such a coldhearted bastard but unable to stop himself. His instincts screamed for him to take possession of his dobe and he was damned if he was going to allow him to leave. Twin pools of ice stared angrily into his face, labored breathing signaling his dobe's waning strength. 'Good, I have his attention.'

"Dobe… Understand this. I don't care why or how we had sex. All I care is we did and we both enjoyed it. Bottom line is: You. Are. Mine. Your body is mine. Your soul is mine. You pledged yourself to me and me to you. Now, accept it and get it over with." He whispered coldly before capturing his dobe's lips in a searing kiss.

As Sasuke's lips coaxed a response from his body, he raged against the blanket that trapped his limbs and hampered his movement. He arched and bucked and it held him down ruthlessly curtailing his escape. There under the fierce attack of best friend's tongue, he felt his anger flicker and die, rendering him unable and unwilling to fight his ever growing attraction.

His mind soon emptied of all worries as Sasuke's talented mouth distracted him enough coax a response out of him. He moaned softly as their tongues warred erotically, his cock hardening from just a kiss.

Coming up for breath, Sasuke nipped coyly at his bottom lip, making him tremble with anticipation and want. He chuckled delighting in the heavy lidded gaze his aroused dobe directed his way.

'God! I want to sink inside his warmth so badly!' He took pity on his lover and pushed his way between his legs. It was time to remind his dobe of the marvelous chemistry that existed between them. A hard groan was all he heard as Naruto's legs spread on their own.

'Perhaps he doesn't need reminding, just loving… and words.' He hummed his approval deeply, kissing him with tenderness.

"Dobe… I may not know exactly what I feel for you… but I do feel something, that much is clear." He whispered against the other's lips, coaxing with his tongue the closed opening and swooping inside eagerly. He licked and nibbled relishing the taste that was all Naruto.

"Just bear with me… I don't understand feelings… I just know hatred and revenge. You understand feelings… you know how to dream and fight to do what you believe is good, so… dobe… teach me?" He requested simply and Naruto's heart soared.

Unable to believe the meaning behind Sasuke's words, he gazed deeply into gentle red eyes, studying the seriousness of Sasuke's proposal. Apparently satisfied with what he found there, he nodded hesitantly and offered a tired smile.

"Sas'ke… I…" he sighed and closed his eyes, pulling soft lips towards his own for a chaste kiss.

Somebody cleared a throat nearby to alert them they were not alone. Eyes widened at the sound and they separated in a heart beat, their embarrassment reflected in the dusky color of their cheeks.

"I hope I am not interrupting anything too important, guys. After all, you did know I was coming, ne? Uchiha-san?" An irate Tsunade glared at the dark headed genius before putting on her brightest smile for Naruto.

"Obaasan?" he croaked, paling under his tan, Sasuke's retreating warmth leaving bereft and aching.

"It seems you are feeling better, ne Naruto?" she strode inside the room purposefully. Her mind berated her for believing Naruto to be safe with the Uchiha. She kneeled by his side taking in his slightly swollen cheek and glowered at the silent man beside her.

"Maybe you can leave now? I need to check on him." She ordered, her actions telling him he was not wanted just then. Nodding with understanding, he sighed and left for the kitchen, forgotten tray in hand.

Once Sasuke left, Tsunade turned her attention towards her golden genin.

"How have you been feeling? Extra bleeding? Fever? Aches? Any pain I should know about?" she asked almost perfunctorily as it was obvious he was feeling better.

He just shook his head, not trusting his voice after what Tsunade had witnessed. Her lips tightened with disapproval. He was being far too silent for her peace of mind.

Nevertheless, she performed the accustomed tests on him to measure Naruto and Kyuubi's chakra levels. 'Kyuubi is doing better but not at a hundred percent. Still it's much better.' She nodded.

"Are you ok? Is the Uchiha taking proper care of you?" she asked softly and watched him nod stiffly with a grim expression.

"You know what? I don't believe you. Anyway, I see you are feeling much better. Enough so I believe that your life won't be threatened if I were to move you from here into Iruka's house. He is dying to see you. Would you like that?" she asked gently before the gasp from the doorway made her turn her attention towards the doorway.

A blue blur dashed past her and she was left staring at an empty futon.

"What the…" she couldn't understand what was happening as in one moment she was beside a silent Naruto, the other moment a blanket wrapped Naruto was held protectively by the Uchiha on the other side of the room.

"What's the meaning of this, Uchiha? Explain yourself!" she ordered, moving to remove her charge from the other man grasp. Noticing his feral growl and defiant stance, she stopped.

"He is mine, understand? You are not taking him anywhere, you hear? Hokage-sama or not I am not letting you take him away. I will fight hand and tooth for him if necessary but he is not moving away from my side." He snarled, clearly agitated. Naruto stared at this overprotective Uchiha as if he'd never seen him before, puzzlement written all over his face.

"Sas'ke?" Naruto queried, confusion filling his soul.

'Why is he doing this? He said he didn't care, he should be more than happy to just let me go. Why Sasuke?' his gaze went from one Nin to the other, their formidable chakras making him twinge with apprehension. This was his worst fears come alive. Tsunade-Obaasan against Sasuke; he had to stop this somehow.

"Please, don't worry Tsunade-san… he… Ano… Sas'ke? You don't need to protect me anymore. I'm not going anywhere." He whispered trying to calm him down.

Sparing Naruto a glance, he smiled nervously, knowing he had overreacted badly and would probably get into a heap trouble for this but he couldn't find it within himself to care or regret his decision.

"You are staying here, dobe. You mean too much for me." He smiled tenderly, fear at losing him making the words easier to say. "I love you." He whispered simply, hugging him tightly and dropping a kiss over his surprised lips.

Naruto gasped in realization as Sasuke's words sank inside his tired mind. "You love me?" he asked in wonderment.

"Very nice and all but loving him doesn't have anything to do with the fact that somebody hit him quite hard on the face. He is convalescing for Kami's sake!" she roared angrily and Sasuke flinched visibly, knowing he was responsible for stocking the sennin's legendary wrath.

Reaching an impasse meant you had to change your tactics. Her shrewd eyes noted both Uchiha's protective stance and Naruto's dazed expression. 'It's better to retreat and regroup. If Naruto is under duress, he won't stay for long. If not, he can finally have a chance at happiness… with the Uchiha, no less. I must see for myself if things are as they appear before I leave this place.' Disgruntled, she snarled low under her breath before reaching a decision.

"The only person able to decide if he goes or stays is Naruto himself. Why don't we ask him what he wants to do?" she reasoned, wanting to know the blonde's answer.

Sasuke stiffened slightly, but nodded. It was only right that he should lose Naruto's love as atonement for his actions; but knowing that didn't make it any easier. Unable to stand watching him decide, he just asked, hiding his eyes from Naruto.

"What's it gonna be, dobe? You leave or stay?" he asked coldly, unwilling to force his dobe more than he already had.

Naruto eyes went from Sasuke to Tsunade, wondering why he was being asked such a question when it was obvious to him at least, where he wanted to be. Eyes tightened with resolve as he nodded in understanding.

"Oi, Teme. Let me go!" he ordered and felt a thrill of joy shoot through him as his captor moved to obey. Sasuke's arms trembled and stiffened before he was straightened and allowed to stand on his own two feet. Tired, he made his way towards Tsunade's open arms and she smiled with relief.

"We will get you out of here right about now. Iruka's waiting…" her words trailed into nothingness as Naruto walked towards the open inner-garden doors instead.

"Naruto?" she asked dumbfounded.

He turned and offered her an impish smile before turning towards his nurse.

"Oi, bastard? What does a sick, weak, handsome man must do around here to get a bath ready? I'm about due, ne? I can't stand the stench of my clothes." He called loudly and sat just outside the room, waiting for his words to sink in. A startled yelp and mocking laughter drifted from the room and into his ears and he smiled.

It truly was a shame he hadn't seen Sasuke's reaction to his words. But hearing his surprised yelp worked a long way to calm his ruffled feathers. 'He loves me!' he thought dazedly and sat on the porch to wait for his bath while basking in the morning sun.

A shadow eclipsed his sun and he frowned. He whined softly, protesting the lack of warmth. Tsunade suddenly found herself commiserating with the Uchiha. It was all she could do not to hit the impudent gaki over the head.

"I will return in a week to check on you, Naruto. Take care until then, ok?" a hard pause, before she asked again softly, "Are you sure you want to stay?" she whispered wanting to have a real answer away from the Uchiha's influence as she watched him with growing concern.

He shook his head ruefully, knowing she meant only the best for him but happy with the turn of events.

"Baa-chan, my place's beside the stubborn man eavesdropping at the other side of the door. I … I… also… love'm, you know?" he flushed brightly, uncomfortable with confessing in such a roundabout way. He was sure Sasuke would hear and know. Maybe now, he would be allowed to experience love instead of hatred. Understanding crossed her face and she nodded.

"Tell me if you need anything, ne?" she whispered and patted him awkwardly. Her little brother was finally growing. She stood quickly feeling tears gather at the corners of her eyes. With a sniff, she straightened.

"It would be good for the Uchiha to remember that if he hurts you again, he will have not only me to deal with. Love or no love, Iruka is a bitch to deal with when he feels threatened. Understand?" without waiting for his answer, she teleported to the Hokage tower. He chuckled understanding Iruka needed to see him to feel reassured.

"You heard dobe? Better be good to me, or you'll get your ass kicked." He crowed softly, reclining against the wooden column that supported the ceiling. He felt happy but so tired. Love definitively tired people. Quick steps that stopped beside him, announced his raven's arrival.

"What took you so long!" he asked before squealing in surprise. Strong arms lifted him like he weighted no more than a child. Airborne, he dazedly registered movement as he was hoisted towards the previously vacated room.

"Naruto-sama requested a bath, ne? Then he will most certainly get one. After all, I don't want the Hokage and her friend to kick my ass for that is all your privilege and responsibility dobe." A malicious smile crossed his beloved's face and he gulped. Nimble fingers undressed his body and both blushed, flashbacks of their first time together flashing through their heads. Black met blue and they smiled, feeling a connection that hadn't been there previously.

"I love you, Sas'ke." He whispered still unsure of these feelings that vied for attention inside his heart.

"I love you too, dobe." Sasuke whispered, glad that Tsunade had forced him to tell him. "Now, let's get you a bath. Ne?" he said.

"It's barely midday!" Naruto exclaimed with embarrassment looking for a way out.

"Who wanted a bath?" Sasuke reminded him gently, pushing away the last coverings and exposing the beautiful body to his hungry gaze.

"But… but…" he tried to reason with Sasuke to no avail.

"You are still protesting. I must be doing something wrong dobe." He whispered jokingly before cradling him again between his arms and taking him towards the bath.

"Why're you naked too?" he asked dumbfounded as skin met skin.

"I must make sure you are clean, of course. What better way to do so than to get in the bath with you? It's certainly big enough." He rejoined tartly and sat on the hip bath with Naruto cradled between his legs. Naruto shivered and smiled. Turning to face Sasuke, he hugged him. He couldn't still believe it was true. Sasuke loved him.

Sasuke kissed him deeply, soaping his hands and gliding them all over his blonde's body, grinning perversely at his dobe's tanned perfection.

"You don't know how many times I dreamt of doing this to you!" he whispered softly.

Naruto blushed unable to meet his eye. His gaze drifted downwards and gasped as he noticed Sasuke's belly sporting a mark similar to his own.

"What happened there, Sasuke?" he asked biting his lip. Sasuke looked down at his own belly and shrugged.

"The first time we made love, your seal overheated and burned itself into my belly." he concentrated in washing his dobe when his dobe asked in a small voice.

"I'm sorry… It must have hurt…" as the weird tone left his lover's mouth, Sasuke looked up to find his koi close to tears once again.

"Hey! What's wrong, dobe? Are you worried about this? Don't be! I like being marked by you. I took your innocence that day, so it's only fair I have a permanent mark to show for my trouble. I find it quite fetching, especially yours." He smiled and traced the pattern with a soapy hand. Naruto gasped and closed his eyes, relaxing into the touch.

**_This is where I must cut the lemon scene that goes here, gomen! It appears Sasuke and Naruto are obsessed with bathing… Again they make love, playfully. Check my profile for more information._**

"By the time I am done with you this time, you won't be asking for more… Instead you will be begging me to let you sleep!" he promised with a deep, erotic voice that had him breaking into goosebumps. He tsked with his tongue.

"Promises, promises" he replied tartly and purred with pleasure as he was lifted from the bath without separating their bodies.

"I'm gonna fill you up so much the only reason you won't get pregnant is because you are male! You will have to beg me to let you go! That is an Uchiha promise!" he warned, sending delicious tremors down Naruto's spine. Deep inside his belly something shifted painfully but it passed so quickly he dismissed it immediately. Staring into Sasuke's eyes, Naruto laughed throatily, goading his lover.

"You are welcome to try, bastard. Let's see who will cry for mercy first!" he countered breathlessly, wrapping his legs around his walking lover to bring them even closer.

After that, neither slept for very long. Apart from some very necessary pauses for food, rest and baths, Sasuke kept true to his promise of trying to plug him full of cum all night long but still Naruto wouldn't beg. The day passed amidst laughter, kisses and passionate loving, neither able to leave the other alone for very long. Naruto's legendary stamina came to the rescue many times as he was pleasured and he pleasured his lover tirelessly. The wee hours of the morning found them still in the throes of passion, gasping and moaning as they climaxed for the last time that night.

"His seal is not hot to the touch anymore. I wonder why…" was Sasuke's last thought before oblivion found him tightly wrapped around his lover.

* * *

_There, now... this is a MPREG fanfic, so prepare to find this situation on the following chapters, ok? You have been warned. ._

_Also, there is a mission coming... so be prepared for some more action scenes further on... nyan! I have many things planned, if the Uchiha cooperates that is. He has been quite strong headed and cold so far. He was not pleased with Tsunade's attempt to remove the dobe, so he's developed a velcro human complex. --;_

_Anyway, sorry for the OOCness and I hope this chapter meets your expectations... nyan! Ja Ne!_

_I can always wait longer before postings, but that would mean longer chapters... like #3 n #4... That used to be 1 chapter... this one also got out of hand so I am posting before it turns unmanageable. Is it too long, after all English is not my fist language... so maybe it is? Please give me your opinions... thank you!_


	6. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hi! It's me again!

Some of you may be wondering... What're the author's reasons behind Naruto's overwhelming emotional response in the previous chapter? Why has Naruto been so emotional recently? As an author, it is important to transmit feelings and actions, guided by the character's personality.

In the future chapters you will see a depth of feeling that some might consider is not in canon. It is very important you open your minds to be able to understand and enjoy the next part for a pregnant Naruto, Kyuubi or no Kyuubi, is most certainly NOT CANON. For Naruto is a boy... his sexuality can be questioned,true, but he is still a boy.

In the past people have said that my Naruto was acting overdramatic, and out of character and that sometimes, it seemed like a bitchy girl, not Naruto was the one talking and I am really sorry for that. Most probably, the blame lies at my feet, be it thanks to poor writing skills or a shabby job at portraying people's thoughts and feelings.

I have tried to make it as close to reality as possible but we are all human. Still, let's look at my interpretation of the facts leading to Naruto's current attitude towards love to see if a really strong emotional response was not warranted, ne?

Surely you have heard his voice (Japanese version) during the time he was talking to a cold and indifferent Sasuke at their fight at the Valley of the End? It was so emotionally leaden that I cringed when I heard it for the first time. His words were truly hard to bear. He was trying to reach his best friend and rival while fighting the tears that threatened to choke him with hurt as he laid out his best arguments. His, was a voice broken by feelings, trembling and anguished: the kind of tone I was aiming for when I wrote that particular scene. Possibly I didn't make it crude enough to transmit that sort of painful sensations.

So far, the themes touched by the series have been friendship, loyalty, disapproval, recognition, betrayal, one-sided-love, stubbornness, persistence, trustworthiness, power and death among many others that I can't include for problems of space and attention issues.

Still, not once has love being directly linked to Naruto in a positive two-lane way. He is unwanted, unloved, rejected and abused but still it doesn't seem to matter. He stubbornly refuses to be broken by the people around him and pushes forward purposefully. He loves passionately, deeply, fully, like he does everything else. He is not one to let pesky details turn him into a brooding mass of pessimism like Sasuke.

Opposed to Sasuke like the sun is to the moon, Naruto is full of emotions, energy and feeling. He jumps out to catch our attention with his antics; he is not one to be ignored. He is hyperactive and does things at a grand scale in his quest for recognition. Small petty issues are not his thing. With time, he matures a bit but the main personality, strident and colorful remains.

Naruto's stubbornness is legendary. He should be called a stubborn ninja not a surprise one. After all there is proof everywhere; first of all he unwittingly became Kyubbi's vessel, grew up loathed by most of Konoha's population, crushed on Sakura even though she despises him with everything she is, was betrayed by Sasuke at the valley of the end but going after him repeatedly to save him, betrayal notwithstanding and now (in my fic at least we don't know how this is gonna end) saved Sasuke from Orochimaru's grasp after a long series of struggles. But do you really think such a person has no insecurities? Do you think he would accept love so easily?

Doubt is a normal human emotion specifically designed to activate our instinct of self preservation. Naruto's characters are able to use chakra and magic but Kishimoto- sensei has made them so human we can all relate to them. We've all doubted at least once during our lives, especially when we are not sure of something.

What proof does he have of Sasuke's intentions? None. We all know what he feels like because I made sure to tell us. But does Naruto? No. He is, after all, a very dense individual. When we are abused by people around us like he's been, there comes a time we don't want to hear what others have to say. We close ourselves off to opportunities and experiences. We become dense.

He is familiar with death, disapproval, friendship, dismissal, betrayal, pain, anger, humiliation, respect, fear, loyalty, protectiveness, stubbornness, one-sided-love and he is a driven individual with a single-minded ambition: Become the Hokage.

He doesn't worry about love because deep inside, he knows he doesn't need the additional excess baggage love would imply. He is also too young by Kishimoto-sensei's society standards.

As a Jinchuuriki ninja, he is expected to willingly sacrifice himself for his peers, but he is not expected to love or be loved. That's why he is a surprise ninja: he does what people around him don't expect him to do.

Every time somebody tells him they care about him, he stops and wonders. He nods and smiles after a while, apparently accepting the feelings as normal but who's to say what's behind the mask? We've glimpsed into his inner demons and fears, his insecurities and anger. We don't know the depths of his love.

Who's to say how would Naruto react if he was subjected to a totally unexpected experience by Sasuke? Who can say he won't become quasi-hysterical after all he's been through? Sasuke's track record is not the best so far, given his penchant for betraying people in his quest for power. Naruto knows this but still loves his friend irrationally and with good reason. His experience with love so far is that for him it is not a commodity, it is a basic need.

By the time Naruto returns from his failed mission to recuperate Sasuke, his feelings for Sakura are almost dead. He only hungers for Sasuke even though nobody names what he feels as love. We don't know what we need until we've had a chance to experience it. So, he is usually not forced too deep emotionally unless his protective, loyal spirit is awakened.

We haven't completely seen his emotional side yet because the series is not over yet. Kishimoto-sensei has a long way to go with his characters. We've seen them all grow but Naruto's love aspect is still curiously empty. He is honor-bound to bring Sasuke back and we all know he will keep on trying until it kills him.

I think Naruto is more than an action bishonen series, given the strength of the emotions between Naruto and Sasuke. We all choke up with pain, impatience, anger, hurt and many others things as he strives to find Sasuke with single-minded intensity. Until Kishimoto-sensei finishes the story and gives Naruto his full dose of angst and love, we won't know what Naruto's capable of when loving.

I am saddened that this portrayal was seen as too overly dramatic because, in my mind at least, I wasn't able to capture the depth of feeling necessary for the whole scene. I will keep on practicing since I am just an amateur scribbler. I am happy to be criticized in a constructive way because that way I can learn and make it better in the future. Hopefully, with this explanation you will know what to expect from now on, for this is my way of the author, nyan. That way if you choose to stop reading because you don't like how the story was going, you will know why it was so.

Please forgive me for this rant, and know that the next chapter is almost done. I will make sure to check for consistency and depth, so you will have to wait a bit further. I will take into consideration this hint as I have taken all the others, nyan. The idea is getting better every day so I am grateful.

About the next chapter, Pregnancy is all about emotions… daddy's… mommy's… Konohagakure's… yeah… VERY emotional… ask anybody! I will take into consideration Naruto's stamina and strength, his stubbornness and his maleness, for he is male even if he is just a bit weird in my story. As Kakashi says, let's look under the surface… ne? So then… see ya around!


	7. Chapter 6: Ramen Blues

Here is the next installment of the story. I hope you like, nyan. I for once am pleased to announce this chapter was not cut! Yay!!!

* * *

Chapter 6: Ramen blues 

Noon found Naruto on his way to meet Sasuke for lunch at Ichiraku's. This morning's training had left him drained but satisfied. He had to pummel himself back into shape no matter what. Frowning, he cleared the area and picked up his weaponry. His shaking hands tightened around a metal handle, unwilling to believe his level of exhaustion. Stretching he bent to pick up a shuriken and stumbled forward suddenly dizzy.

'What now?' he growled impatiently. He knew his body was protesting the strenuous activity to which he had submitted himself but he didn't care. He needed to train harder. There was a sense of urgency egging him on and there was nothing he could do to shake it off.

Sasuke was slowly being allowed to return to his previous duties, and he was proud. With the knowledge of Sasuke's progress came worry; he needed to be able to fight for his precious people if the need arose. He was not one to sit idly twiddling his thumbs until he felt completely better. The Akatsuki was a very real threat, even if their whereabouts were unknown for the past 6 months.

'When the time comes, I want to be right by his side, so I'd better prepare myself now. He is a strong shinobi and I want to be able to stand beside him as an equal. This illness drained me harder than I previously thought but it doesn't matter. We must be ready for our enemies, no matter who they are or when they come.' He nodded, his blue eyes full of purpose as he made his way towards the village.

'I'd better ask Tsunade-baachan to get me a good paying mission next time. I need better equipment. I am a chuunin now, there is no need to recycle my old stuff. After all kunais are damned expensive, tsk!' he kicked a stone idly, taking his time. 'Maybe I could mooch of Sasuke's stash. Yup! He will never notice me using his stuff to play around! He is still not allowed to use all he has.' He grinned naughtily, taking one out to take its comforting weight in the palm of his hand before putting it back inside his pouch.

A passing dove alighted nearby, beady eyes observing curiously as bright orange crossed its path. The recently-advanced chuunin moved with unusual slowness towards his usual place at this hour. Stepping over the fast moving waters of the bridge that connected the training grounds to the rest of Konoha he paused for a second to absorb the view and rest for a while. His body was not completely up to the task of making the trek to the restaurant in one go.

'Damn! I should have known that using 12 clones for practice would drain me like a bitch. Sasuke's not gonna like it. No way.' Fatigue clouded his expression and he stumbled on an invisible stone in his path. Lately, he was always so damned tired, it was hard to think, let alone move with any degree of ease.

His stomach grumbled fiercely, demanding food imperiously as he leaned over the rail. He was quite hungry but the idea of food suddenly made him queasy. His body registered rivaling needs as his fatigue increased. He was ravenously hungry, nauseous and his bladder had chosen that moment to raise up a stink. Once again, the pressure on his lower abdomen signaled his imperative need to take a leak. It was so sudden he wondered how the hell he'd managed not to register the need to go before he finished training.

Shivering with the effort to hold it in, he moved away from all that moving water before he was tempted to relieve himself in the clear waters.

'Jeez, dobe… what would Konoha think if you start peeing all over the place, damn it! That you turned into a dog! Come on! Move it!' he egged himself onwards. He was still quite far from the restaurant and his bladder was turning into a real problem. Gauging his options, he realized he would never make it into Ichiraku's without first peeing somewhere. With a defeated sigh, he pushed past the bushes near the stream and looked around.

'My turning into a dog is better than getting there with a urine stain in the front of my pants, damn it!' Blushing, he hid behind a thick bush, freed himself and took a quick look around for the last time before he finally emptied his much too full bladder into the waters. He moaned under his breath with relief as his gushing bladder took its sweet time in emptying itself. Once done, he shook himself and straightened his clothes, stuffing himself back inside his pants. Kneeling just a bit farther upstream, he washed his hands, suddenly paranoid.

'Sasuke is not going to like this… I am so dead if he knows I've been peeing all over the place. He'd say I've turned foxy on him.' He bit his lip anxiously before sighing in resignation.

'What's done is done. There is no sense in crying over spilt milk… or pee or whatever.' He sighed and straightened, making his way back towards the bridge and the road leading into the village's center where Ichiraku Ramen stood.

Ichikaru's was not the fanciest restaurant in Konoha but it was his favorite. There, people never made him feel unwanted nor was he served less than quality food for exaggerated prices as it happened elsewhere.

He smiled sadly, thinking back of the first time Sasuke had experienced such an outrage. It happened a few weeks ago on the night Sasuke declared himself to be fed up with his steady Ramen diet. He'd ignored Naruto's protests and had dragged his ass into another establishment, a yakitori place he'd visited ages ago. The waitress and the owner's rudeness still made him cringe with embarrassment. Sasuke'd gotten so irrationally angry it was a miracle Naruto had been able to restrain him. They had left the place and never returned again. He stopped, his wheezing breath coming in gulps into his lungs.

'I don't remember this path ever being so long and steep. Jeez, Sasuke's definitively not gonna like it when he sees me.' He flinched with remorse. He had promised not to exceed his limits. They had agreed that given their recent nightly activities he would restrain his training to 3 or 4 clones per day. He'd completely forgotten his promise as soon as he arrived at the training grounds that same morning. It'd been ages since he'd last felt so full of energy and happiness. The sky was clear, the clean, lemony scent of the grass around him stimulated his senses in such a way he'd unconsciously chosen to disregard Sasuke's warnings; which now came back to haunt him.

"Damn it!" he grumbled, stopping for a second to get his breath. His whole body ached now. Not just his arms and legs as anyone might expect, but his hips and lower back were killing him too. He tried to remember how he'd hurt himself there but couldn't think of anything but the little tumble he took before finishing off the 3 remaining clones.

He frowned, rubbing his hip distractedly. He didn't remember hitting anything hard enough to merit aching like he did just now. His active imagination brought Sasuke's disapproving glare to his mind's eye.

'Leave me alone, you! I know, I know… I'll just have to grin my way through! I hope he buys it. He is far too perceptive for my own good.' He sighed, resuming his pace.

Recently, his consciousness had started to nag him terribly every time he disobeyed one of his personal tyrant's orders to 'Eat!', 'Rest!', 'Take it easy!' and 'Be careful!'. To tell the truth he was fed up of being bossed around.

Another image invaded his mind and he relented. It was true there were orders he was more than happy to follow meekly but then things like 'Harder!', 'Deeper!', 'Kiss me!', 'Spread yourself wider!' were not instructions that went against his grain to perform. He blushed and laughed, embarrassed even though there was nobody to watch him or peek inside his brain.

Stopping again at the top of the slope to watch the clouds float away lazily, his thoughts turned inevitably towards Sasuke. 'Teme! Who would have thought he would become such a possessive bastard! Anyone might think I was a priceless doll or something! He treats me with so much care I sometimes feel like a crateful of eggs!' he scoffed and stretched his numb limbs trying to work some feeling back into them.

His legs felt leaden and his muscles were starting to cramp from the effort it took to walk. He could always use chakra to get himself to move faster, but he somehow loathed the idea of abusing his meager supply of energy any further.

Frowning, he realized he was panting and sweating like crazy. His patience was growing thin with every passing day of forced convalescence. He had never been so weak; it was preposterous! Incredibly, his body was still recuperating from the missing nin incident.

'Just a few months ago this would never have happened! I know I was poisoned and bled far too much without Kyuubi's help to heal me back then, still… damn it!' he cursed under his breath and tore his eyes away from the sky. Biting his lip, he forced himself to start walking at a brisk pace, eager to make it quickly into Ichikaru's.

His mind turned to the last month's developments to keep his mind away from his abused muscles. His mind was still reeling with the idea of his own mortality. It was hard to believe that he'd been this close to death just two months ago. Tsunade saw fit to inform him of this only after he was already up and about.

'Personally, I don't care either way since I'm not particularly useful or brilliant. It would make me sad not to make Hokage but there is every possibility I won't be allowed to anyway. Sasuke, on the other hand… jeez!' he sighed again.

His dear bastard had become extremely upset at the way he'd discounted the 'seriousness' of the whole thing. It took a week-long stretch of being on the receiving end of his dear bastard's silent treatment to get through his thick skull that Sasuke cared. Finally, he relented and begged his lover's forgiveness for being such a stupid ass, but it was only because he couldn't stand causing Sasuke's distress anymore.

'Pesky little bastard! Irrationally jealous, possessive, bossy, prone to worrying himself sick…' he paused with a rueful smile, 'Uchiha, I almost don't recognize you! Where have you gone?' he pretended to wail before an impudent smile crossed his expression.

Once again, his body demanded he stop to regain his breath. Once again, he stopped impatient to reach his lover. His newfound ability to ruffle Sasuke's feathers pleased him immensely. Imagining his lover's pout brought to mind another, sharper, image of his lover in the throes of passion. It was so strong it made him stop to get air into his oxygen-starved lungs, blinking away the illusion as his body forgot to breathe.

'Ack! He's turned me into a pervert!' he grimaced before smiling dreamily. Sasuke had really outdone himself last night. Pushing his tired body to newer heights of pleasure previously undiscovered. Their position had changed, making it hurt a lot more than before but this new connection made him see stars… literally.

He blushed deeply, fanning himself with his hand as his inner-self delighted in reviewing last night's passionate embrace. He still couldn't get over the fact that the great Uchiha avenger was truly head over heels in love with him. It was too much, really!

'You deserve it…ne?' his inner-self retorted cheekily and he frowned. It was only now that he realized he'd been talking to himself more often these days.

'Better not let Sasuke know about this unhealthy habit of yours… we don't want him thinking you are crazy.' he grinned ruefully knowing his bastard would just smile at him fondly before chewing his head off for overexerting his tired body.

It was getting increasingly difficult to hide certain things from Sasuke… His lover was becoming more daring and it was all he could do to keep him away from his body during the day. Color rose to his cheeks as he thought about Sasuke's possible reaction if he knew of his 'imperfection'.

So far, his lover had been too busy exploring his body and perfecting their lovemaking to protest Naruto's shyness and current preference for loving covered by darkness. He just didn't want Sasuke to see. He'd realized he was a bit different from other boys after taking a peek at Sasuke's body after a particularly long bout of loving.

His blush darkened as he remembered just how different they were. After that, he had adamantly insisted they make love with the lights off, taking care to distract his lover whenever he got too close to his groin. So far there hadn't been any complaints from his lover but he knew there would be soon. He sighed.

The first few mornings of awakening beside his lover, he'd wondered if he was somehow dreaming while his body rotted under a bush deep inside the forest somewhere. Every tight smile, every little kiss, every time strong arms wrapped around his body, every caress delivered with tenderness, every time their bodies melded together, everything filled his heart with so much warmth he cried inevitably.

He swallowed the lump that threatened to choke him wondering for the hundredth time why was he turning into a flowering pot. Glancing around for villagers he noticed a few that scurried away, distaste clearly written in their faces.

"What is it doing here? He's standing in front of the house! Why isn't he dead, Masato?" an older woman whispered hysterically to the man at her side.

"Don't concern yourself with that, dear. I know it's a shame the thing's not dead, but the Hokage insists…" He replied, turning his back against him and opening the door hastily.

"It's looking at us! How dare he! Masato, you know we lost everything thanks to that demon!" she seethed, resisting his hands as he guided her inside.

"Don't worry. He won't come near." He reassured her, turning his head to glare knives into the silent youth.

"Stop pushing me, you whimp! lemme at him! You have no guts but I do! Yamamori Ume has enough guts to show the brat his place! Why is he here? He doesn't deserve to be alive!" she raged angrily as the door was closed before his face.

'Up yours bitch!' his mind yelled defiantly while his body decided anger was too much of an effort to make. Unwilling to stand or walk anymore but knowing those around him wouldn't appreciate his presence for much longer, he stood undecided. Sweat continued to pour down his cheeks and into his collar.

The midday sun pressed down oppressively against his shoulders. Before long, it got to be too much to bear. He was baking inside his jacket! Modesty forgotten, he clawed at his zipper, pulling it down with a deep, relieved sigh. Blessed cool air refreshed his naked skin as he panted. Damn, he was thirsty!

'God! I am really turning into a whimp! This is so not good!' he leaned forward, holding onto his knees as the oppressive heat castigated him. He looked around drowsily, trying to see how much farther away was the restaurant. His mind was starting to wonder if Miso Pork Ramen was worth so much effort.

'It would be better to just sit here beside the tall, shady fence until its cooler. Resting feels so nice…' He leaned back against the fence, half aware of the wrongness of his thoughts: For when had ramen not being worth the effort?

'What? Definitely, Naruto. You have to be dead!' The only problem was that he couldn't find it in himself to care if he was. He was so tired! If he died, his only regret would be Sasuke. He'd definitively suffer… although really it would be better for him if he died at the end. He was nothing but trouble. He was no good. Tears gathered and threatened to overflow as he pondered the benefits Sasuke would derive from his death.

'Well… if I am not in the way, he could have a family… Even if he says he doesn't want or need one, I know it's not true. I… God! I don't want to lose him!' he took in deep breaths, knowing himself near the edge. So far he'd been able to hide his frequent bouts of tears, passing them off as too intense happiness, a too strong orgasm, plain sweat or the usual mote in his eye.

'Get it together, dobe!' he grumbled, swiping impatiently at his tearstained face, hating himself for being so weak.

'Maybe I'll feel better after eating.' He shivered and shook his head to clear it, drying the excess moisture beading his brow with a sleeve.

Since their face-off with the mysterious poison, both Kyuubi and his legendary chakra had been patently absent from his conscious mind. His body was recuperating slowly but things were not progressing as expected. He was way too thin even after all the efforts Sasuke put into feeding him to put some flesh into his body as he commented teasingly. He had chosen to keep silent regarding certain details he was sure his paranoid nurse would blow completely out of proportion if he knew.

'I'm fine, really.' He grumbled defiantly before a sharp pain on his side made him double over holding his side. He concentrated in his breathing, proud of himself for riding the wave of pain without screaming like a girl. He was getting as good as Sasuke at hiding things. He was sure it was related to the whole recuperating thing.

'Of course, usuratonkachi! It's completely natural to bleed intermittently after having sex for the first time. It's very normal to feel bone-deep pain in your hips and lower back and even more common to experience stabbing pains in your gut that are bad enough to bring tears to your eyes. Yeah! Completely, utterly natural!' his inner voice argued sarcastically.

As if in agreement, the pain on his side spiked suddenly and he whimpered, wrapping arms around his middle as he curled forward.

'Tell him! Tell Tsunade! Heck! Tell Sakura!' urged his mind. Naruto flinched at the thought, he was really tempted; but he knew he would not talk to them. They would worry needlessly and make his life even worse.

"No way in hell am I telling anybody anything!" he replied out loud, angry at his meddlesome inner voice.

"Tell me what, dobe? Why are you sitting there, holding your sides with your jacket open and dripping sweat?" Sasuke asked lazily, taking in his beloved's appearance. Waiting for an answer but clearly expecting none, he crossed his arms and waited.

Naruto's pained eyes noticed his lover's disgruntled expression. 'Shit! Now I'm screwed.' For there was concern and worry etched into the smooth skin.

It hurt to know he'd put those feelings there with his carelessness. Sasuke was growing impatient, he could tell. Still he said nothing. Nobody was better than him at the waiting game; he'd proven that particular point last time they'd quarreled. Naruto wailed inside as outwardly his lips curled into a teasing smile.

"Sas'ke! What're you doing here? Weren't you supposed to wait at Ichikaru's?" he asked hoping to distract him while he waited out the pain.

"You took ages getting there and I worried." He replied succinctly, stretching his hand to take a firm hold of his arm to help him stand.

"And you chose to come and see what I was up to?" he laughed nervously, his hands turning clammy as another jab chose that moment to make itself known. Naruto quickly hid a gasp and forced his body to stretch playfully.

"I am fine. Just got distracted watching… the neighborhood!" he finished quickly before latching onto one strong arm and pulling his lover along.

"Come on, Teme! I am hungry!" he called, pushing himself, striving for normality.

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Sasuke's POV 

The silent raven closed his eyes and allowed himself to be led. He didn't need to be a prodigy to know his dobe was in pain. Real pain. He could almost swear he'd seen bone deep exhaustion lurking in the clear blue depths but the expression was gone before he had time to analyze it. He frowned as his ears confirmed his suspicions: Naruto was not being himself, something was not right.

Naruto chose that moment to turn toward him, smiling and talking animatedly. He stifled a gasp and his expression hardened, turning forbidding. Here, under the midday sun he was able to distinguish dark smudges under his koi's eyes. That coupled with the bruised look of the skin under his eyes and the tightness around his mouth told a story of pain and sleeplessness.

'You look like Gaara, dobe. What are you doing to yourself?' It was time to act. His dobe needed protection and he was going to provide it… even against his own stubborn self.

"Come on, Teme! I am hungry!" Naruto called running ahead and he followed with a deep sigh; choosing to humor his golden lover until he had further evidence to back his arguments. 'Thank god we are meeting Kakashi…'

They entered the busy restaurant, looked around and made a beeline towards a waiting Kakashi sitting on a booth near the restaurant's back wall. Naruto grinned through his greetings and slid on the empty space in front of his sensei. He was happy to see him, specially if it meant delaying the argument that was sure to follow as soon as they were alone. Sasuke reached the booth with measured steps, using this time to observe those around him and their reaction to his dobe. He scowled.

'Naruto thinks people know and accept our relationship but I know better. They are aware of how close he was to death and the fact I took care of him. Therefore, they expect us to get closer; just not as close as we are.' He bit back a smile before ruffling his dobe's hair tenderly. Naruto grumbled under his breath about people watching but he shrugged good naturedly.

To Naruto's dismay, he had made a point of indulging in small PDA's where others could watch. He didn't want to submit his koi to his fans but he needed to drive home the idea that his interest was otherwise engaged. In his mind there would never be other than Naruto.

Those daring enough to approach him afterwards were treated to the Uchiha's weapon of choice: his deadly sharingan enhanced glares. It drove the fear of death into their little hearts and dispersed them quickly thus giving him more time to spend with his dobe.

They ordered their usual fare and ate their food amidst companionable silence. Both men exchanged concerned glances as their favorite blonde ate slowly, practically falling asleep over his single bowl of ramen.

Sasuke raised his hand to get the attention of the waitress, to order the customary extra helpings of ramen for his lover. His eyes went from Kakashi's eagle gaze to Naruto's tired face. 'Let's see what you make of this, Kakashi-sensei.' He thought grimly.

"Dobe? Ready to order more?" he asked nonchalantly. Alarms blared inside his brain as he noticed Naruto stiffen under his gaze before smiling genially.

"Sure… um… but just one this time, Teme. I don't want to strain your finances, Sas'ke." He scratched his head, smiling brazenly as he usually did whenever he wanted hide something. Both men watched Naruto closely judging for themselves the reason for his actions.

As soon as the second bowl was placed before him, it was obvious for them Naruto only ordered a second bowl because he felt it was expected of him, not because he wanted it. He was slow in starting to eat, staring at the cooling noodles with something akin to disgust.

"What's wrong dobe? Not hungry anymore?" Sasuke asked teasingly, his light voice masking his concern perfectly. He swore inside his mind when, to his amazement, his dobe simply pushed aside his half-eaten plate.

"Whew, I ate too much so I'd better not. I think its time to start a new regime, you know. Eating too much ramen makes you fat." He smiled brilliantly, hands crossed behind his neck, busily avoiding their eyes. "Oi, Kakashi sensei what is that project you are working with Sasuke about? He doesn't want to talk about it other than say its important Hokage business. Come on, talk!" he wheedled steering the conversation away from his obvious lack of appetite.

"ANBU business, Naruto. When and if you need to know, Tsunade-sama will be the only one to brief you in the matter." Kakashi dissembled effectively more interested in knowing what was wrong with his student than in discussing routine stuff.

Sasuke clucked softly but chose not to comment, instead meeting Kakashi's eyes over his tired lover's head. Shaking his head slightly, he signaled the other was not to mention Naruto's weird behavior. They had to talk. This was what he had been telling his sensei when he'd suggested they meet for lunch to examine the situation. Kakashi's visible eye narrowed with worry.

"Kakashi-san, I haven't seen Iruka-sensei lately. Is he alright?" Sasuke queried easily, turning the conversation away from Naruto and into other topics. He wanted his teacher to see for himself further proof to back up his worries.

Not fifteen minutes later, Naruto's eyes glazed over and he nodded off while sitting. Lightning quick, Sasuke moved to catch his head before it could hit the wall, pulling him close. Naruto snored softly, his head resting securely against Sasuke's side, with a protective arm draped around his shoulders. Kakashi's eyebrow rose. This was definitively an unexpected turn.

'Iruka would certainly benefit with a little exposure to this Uchiha's possessiveness.' He thought with a hidden grin.

"Yeah, sensei. As I was saying, Sakura then sucked me off, biting my balls while I played with Iruka-sensei's ass. Then I flew to Suna and fucked Gaara while Naruto here watched. Temari gave birth to spotted blue kittens with Hyuuga-enhanced eyes that looked just like Lee. Kiba ran away with a pack of wolves and Kyuubi works as an escort in Sound." Sasuke finished with a straight face before staring pointedly at his unresponsive lover and giving Kakashi time to control his stunned expression. Kakashi wanted proof, so he'd show him his dobe was so out of it an exploding tag could go off beneath him and he would never know. Naruto's only response to the previous monologue was to mumble and sigh deeply, nuzzling his lover's side.

"Naruto… Koi… Do you want our Hokage-sama to come visit and dance naked over our bed? We could have my brother bring Cream Parfaits and whipped cream for dinner. Then we could parade naked around Konohagakure before eloping atop Gamabunta. What do you think?" he asked softly, touching his shoulder gently so as not to startle him. Naruto's head straightened and he blinked sleepily.

"Huh? Yeah… we can do that. Make sure to invite Kakashi and Iruka-sensei, they'll love that." He mumbled once more, dozing off shortly after.

Kakashi's shoulders shook with the effort not to burst out laughing. This was incredibly funny and utterly terrifying at the same time. Sasuke was right. This was worse than expected when Sasuke had first approached him with complains about a distracted dobe who fell asleep anywhere.

"I'll take him home now. I'll be back to talk to you later, ne?" Sasuke stood without waiting for a confirmation, gentle hands curling around Naruto's elbows and guiding a practically sleepwalking blonde outside.

* * *

Kakashi's POV 

Kakashi stayed seated, slowly digesting this disturbing piece of information. Three days ago, a violently stammering Sasuke had come to his door to talk about Naruto. If he closed his eyes, he could see Sasuke standing with a defiant expression while standing in his doorstep that night.

-flashback-

"Can we talk?" he asked softly, maybe too softly. With a nod, he pushed his door wider to allow him access into his abode. His student's presence intrigued him.

Until a few weeks ago, when Naruto's illness and recovery took Tsunade into the Uchiha mansion, Sasuke hadn't so much as shown his face around Konoha. And suddenly, here he was, in all his frozen glory.

'Wait a minute, that can't be concern I am watching in his eyes, can it?' he mused. This promised to be more interesting than he'd thought. He sat on his favorite chair, waiting to pounce.

"I… don't know…um…who to go to." He started once Kakashi signaled him into his sofa. Sitting down, he stared at his hands for a while, his tense frame and nervously shifting eyes denouncing his discomfort and worry.

Deciding to take pity on him for Naruto's sake if not his own, he relented. "What do you mean?"

Lifting his eyes, Sasuke's eyes reflected his agitation.

"Naruto… um… He's acting weird. I mean he's doing things that worry me. I think there is something wrong with him and I'm afraid for him." He stated urgently, his low voice adding to the anxiousness starting to build inside Kakashi. This was not the Sasuke he was used to.

"And how do you propose I help you?" Kakashi asked coldly lifting a brow, not above making his ex-student sweat a bit after treating his Iruka so shabbily. He smirked, knowing his student's pride was his biggest fault. It was either the Uchiha swallowed his pride and begged for help or he would turn around and leave. He was mentally patting himself on the back at his resourcefulness. After all, later that night, he had a date with Iruka. He waited.

Sasuke fidgeted, twisting his hands and blushing deeply. Kakashi was starting to fear his student was going to die from oxygen starvation as he was apparently holding his breath. He wondered how somebody so pale could manage to reach such an intense mauve color. A long while passed before Kakashi finally lost patience. Watching the Uchiha melt into a puddle of goo in the middle of his living room lost its appeal after the first half hour.

"Sasuke…" he started before the young man before him jumped to his feet and started pacing like a caged beast. 'Pacing? The Uchiha? Interesting!'

"Sensei…" Sasuke started and Kakashi almost choked.

'Sensei and all… he must really want something bad.' Kakashi thought as his attention was completely taken by the raven pacing madly before him.

"Could you please stop and talk before you wear a hole in my newly replaced carpet? Sheez, what's with men and pacing, I wonder?" he drawled from his seat, leaning back to enjoy the show.

"Ano… Sensei. Naruto… he's behaving weirdly since after the incident a month ago. I mean… he's not the same… strength-wise, doesn't eat… doesn't sleep too well either and he is always sleepy. I don't know… what to make of it." He burst all of a sudden. "I am worried… because I care… he… we… We are lovers… sensei… and I don't want to lose him. Please." He added, his voice dying in intensity and leaving only a shadowy husk of his normal strong baritone.

Kakashi's eyes bulged out of his sockets as the Uchiha begged. The sole fact that he was talking instead of fleeing only meant that he was a man in love, worried about his lover. The sudden glimpse at Sasuke's true heart helped tame the sadist inside his soul. For he would kill without hesitation to save Iruka from harm: be it imaginary or real.

That conversation lasted so long that Iruka had come looking for him. His intelligent lover had taken a look at Sasuke's anxious face and immediately understood their date would have to be postponed for another day.

-end of flashback-

He smiled with affection before his expression sobered. Naruto actions signaled something was terribly wrong and he was sure the Hokage had to be informed. Sasuke had done right to look for help. Knowing Naruto stubbornness to be legendary he understood his lover's concern. Still he didn't relish the idea of breaking the problem to the Hokage.

'I should observe him closely before I report to her, to give her a run down of symptoms. Yeah… that's it. Let's watch how things progress for the next few weeks.' He nodded unwilling to own up to his healthy dose of respect for their Hokage's equally legendary strength, her well known overprotectiveness towards the blonde and hot temper. He smiled remembering her anger when she returned from the Uchiha complex. She pronounced Naruto well on his way to recovery but almost destroyed the training grounds in her anger.

'Now it makes sense,' he thought with a smirk, 'Tsunade's overprotectiveness probably butted heads with the Uchiha prodigy's possessiveness over the same person and she lost. How fun!' He smirked and teleported after leaving enough money to cover their lunch. He was going to watch Naruto closely. Even if the stubborn blonde didn't believe it, he was too important to be put at risk while he waited for proof; Iruka wouldn't forgive him otherwise.

* * *

There you go... this is the beginning of the end... soon, my pets... very soon! 


	8. Chapter 7: A Hardheaded fox

I'm sorry guys! Here is chapter 7 before I turn it into a nightmare... ok? Forgive me if you find any inconsistencies, but this was very hard to write...nyan... everything will be explained as soon as they are told of Naruto's condition... which is not in this chapter. Just a bit of smut and more of Sasuke's possessive streak...nyan! Next chapter is well on its way... so dont forget to review and tell me what you think about it...ne? I will update soon... nyan! Here's the next installment of this story.

* * *

Chapter 7: A Hardheaded Fox 

Naruto nuzzled Sasuke's shirt as he made his way into their room. Getting his snoozing dobe into bed was his first concern and returning to talk to Kakashi, his second.

On the way back, he'd tired of herding his blonde sleepwalker in the right direction and had simply gathered him up and taken to the roofs.

'It was much easier than dealing with a clingy dobe who insists on trying to climb all over you, grumbling he is tired.' He groused under his breath. Carrying his lover around seemed to be slowly turning into a habit.

'One I'm not likely to protest ever.' He thought with a satisfied grin; bringing Naruto's body closer. Holding his dobe close eased a previously unknown craving for warmth and intimacy. It somehow made him feel complete in a way that was anything but rational.

Placing the blonde over their futon, he straightened the blankets and tucked him in. Leaning back, his eyes were involuntarily compelled to practice what was quick becoming his new pastime: watching Naruto.

Silently, he studied thick, golden lashes where they lay fanned across tanned cheeks. His curious gaze skimmed down gently sloping nose, tanned and flat cheekbones before being drawn by rosy lips.

He could remember how good those same lips felt wrapped around his heated flesh last night. He shivered, repressing a groan, as his body reacted to his memories. His eyes resumed their perusal traveling around a firm chin before gliding over a tan forehead and thin blonde brows slashing over it.

Watching Naruto lax features while he slept filled his soul with awe. This loving business was really strange, scary actually. Revenge was no longer his #1 priority; instead making sure his dobe was healthy and happy filled his hours with concern.

There was nothing in his past that could have prepared him for the wealth of feeling that rose to his chest every time he heard Naruto's laughter or felt his touch. In his short foray on the experience department there was only one name that fit every nuance of this painfully bright emotion inside his heart: happiness.

He vaguely remembered watching something close to this feeling clearly written on his parents' expression in those rare moments they thought themselves unobserved.

'Am I happy?' He asked himself all of a sudden and was incredibly surprised with the strength of his answer. Yes, he was; unexpectedly so. He paused wondering at his sudden insight.

He chuckled ruefully, pushing back his dobe's moist hair. 'Koi, I owe you so very much… You've completed me, taught me how to love. God! He's so handsome.' He thought helplessly, drinking Naruto's sleeping face, which disclosed unpredicted vulnerability.

His protective feelings clamored to the surface as his heart froze thinking what he would do if anything untoward happened to his golden lover. Sasuke eyed Naruto worriedly, watching him snore softly. He dreaded the moment Tsunade returned either of them to active status. His mind knew a shinobi's life was fraught with danger and death, yet his heart rebelled, wanting to keep his dobe's innocence intact.

His skin broke into sweat as his mind was suddenly assaulted by visions of a blood-soaked Naruto lying unconscious before his doorstep.

He shook his head trying to clear it. It didn't bear thought, he decided. If he lost Naruto, he would turn against everything and everybody; without him by his side, there was no reason to keep on living.

'Stop that Sasuke. You are turning into a sentimental fool! Nothing's going to happen, idiot! We will take care of our dobe with these two hands! It's the Uchiha's nindo, remember? Protect our loved ones even at the risk of our lives.' he berated himself as Naruto moaned, turning in his sleep and kicking away the blankets that covered his body.

Panting slightly, he tugged at his collar helplessly as one seeking relief from the heat. That reminded Sasuke of Naruto's training session. Worried, he removed the blanket to help him undress.

'I'd better give him a sponge bath, while I'm at it. He's been sweating too much lately and I don't want to have him catching a cold on top of everything else.' He thought with a worried frown as his fingers closed around the zipper tab. His eyes widened in realization.

'Ooohhh… great idea, Uchiha! That way we can practice both our favorite past-time and our favorite perversion without worrying about interfering, shy blondes!' An amused snort escaped his chest and he bit his lips to repress his urge to giggle. A deeply exhausted and sleeping Naruto meant he could do many, many things without worrying about his lover's shyness.

Ecstatic with his sudden windfall, he bent to remove the orange and black jacket, frowning as he exposed humid skin. Considering the amount of sweat absorbed by his jacket lining, he'd been training like a dog for more than hour with over 5 clones.

'Knowing you, I'd say it was around 10. Sheez, dobe! You are going to be the death of me!' he grimaced. Pulling on the zipper, he lowered it slowly, teasing himself. Inch by delectable inch of cinnamon colored skin was uncovered.

Lazily pushing open the offending jacket, he gazed at supple skin and dusky nipples that rose to attention as they came in contact with cold air.

Naruto's musky scent rose to tease his nostrils and he stiffened, desire hitting him hard. Anticipation sent shivers down his spine as he removed the garment hurriedly. Once done, he balled it carelessly before throwing it into the corner to be washed later.

Taking care to assure himself his blonde was at least marginally more comfortable, he went into the kitchen to fetch a bowl filled with lukewarm water. Going through the familiar motions helped him regain a measure of calm while controlling his anger. Water overflowed while he nodded, deep in thought.

He was angry at his lover's disregard for his own health. He would bet his house that the reason behind Naruto's extreme fatigue and pallor was his lover's extreme overzealousness regarding training. In the past weeks, he'd tried to be understanding and supportive of his dobe. Today, he was truly upset this time. After all, his lover had chosen to disregard his concern and pushed himself way past the limits of his endurance. It was a miracle the blonde man hadn't realized the true extent of the power he held over his heart. It only took a look to turn his righteous anger into fond disgruntlement.

'Tch, dobe… Those eyes are my perdition and you know that only too well.' He groused, remembering the guileless expression his dobe used whenever he wanted to distract him. It was the same this afternoon when he found him curled at the fence grimacing with pain.

'Sometimes you are too cunning for your own good, dobe. I promise I will get to the bottom of this, one way or the other. I will help you regain your strength. You'll see.' He promised silently making his way back with the filled water-basin.

Once in the room, he knelt beside their futon. Thinking of that word 'their' made him smile with warmth and possessiveness. This splendid half-naked creature sprawled comfortably atop his bedding was utterly his. Leaning forward, he unbuckled his dobe's pants with shaking hands.

'Get a grip, stupid! You've seen him naked before… heck you've sunk into his body more times than you can remember! There is no need to feel like this.' His proud Uchiha self stated caustically as he undressed his lover with trembling hands.

'Sure, but he's never allowed us to take a good look! Last time I checked Sharingan vision didn't include infrared vision, so yes, I am nervous because this is a totally new sight for me!' His Uchiha ecchi-ness replied, disrobing his lover's remaining items of clothing like a kid does a birthday gift: carefully, quick and full of eagerness.

Guiding flexible limbs out of his pants proved to be quite an easy task, for he was underweight. Lifting bony hips with little effort, he slid down his pants, taking his underwear with it and tossing it into a corner. Soon enough his dobe was completely naked under his heated gaze.

He would use the pretense of a sponge bath to examine his dobe's body to his heart's delight, watching his reactions. Finding his lover's sensitive spots was a life mission Sasuke took to heart with the same diligence he did everything else. Unable to contain his excitement, he stared at his handiwork. His dobe was completely naked, his golden skin bathed in light and shadows.

He frowned. Such a beauty shouldn't hide under shadow. Pensive, he gazed at the inner courtyard partition and back to his dobe. A wicked smile bloomed over his lips and he stood. Crossing the room, he slid open the door letting sunlight inside.

He'd decided. Forget about the consequences, this time, Uchiha Sasuke would look his fill of his lover's body, no more tentative touches and hidden caresses. Even if Konohagakure didn't want to see them as a couple, he did; getting to know his lover's body was his responsibility for he was accountable for his dobe's pleasure. It was his job and he was nothing if not through!

'Oh, shut up! You know you are just dying to see him naked where you can see and touch him. That's all. Give in to your perversion, Teme!' his inner Sasuke goaded impatiently.

During the past few weeks, his lover had somehow become extremely body conscious and was not happy when his hands tried to explore with too much freedom. He was tired of being restricted and redirected every time. All he wanted was to do was taste Naruto's essence!

His body hardened swiftly as he thought of wrapping his tongue around Naruto's hardness. The strength of his need left him breathless and in pain.

Carefully, as not to disturb him, he moved the futon closer to the shoji, his heart beating a mile a minute. Anticipation made him hard and he moved stealthily, cursing himself every time he jostled his sleeping lover.

'Pervert, if he awakens, you are dead!' he warned himself starting an absurd dialogue to soothe his frazzled nerves.

'He won't! The fox's hibernating!' his inner self replied jokingly, for Naruto's slumber was deep enough to seem like it.

'Maybe in winter farther up north where its cold but not in Konoha at the beginnings of autumn where it's humid and hot, you jerk! And by the way, he's not a fox… he is foxy, as in sexy which is different. Got it? Also, he's mine!' he reasoned, unable to stifle his possessiveness from staking his claim.

'Same thing! He's mine too, idiot! We are one! Careful, careful… put him down!' A warning.

'Is he moving? Did he wake up?' A query.

'No… all's clear. Let the games begin!' A happy cry.

He settled his lover near the door, where a nice warm breeze blew. Naruto purred with relief and shifted his hips, showcasing his flaccid cock.

Sasuke's mouth watered as his hands flew to cover his nose quickly. Surely he was suffering a nosebleed! If this was not a nosebleed-worthy moment, he was damned if he knew what was! This was his dream come true! Naruto on his futon: sleeping, healthy, fully naked, unaware and completely vulnerable under his gaze!

'Gods, if this is a dream please don't wake me!' he wailed, suddenly glad to be alive and kicking.

'See what you would have missed if Naruto hadn't saved you from the snake? Teme!' he rebuked himself.

Sitting back to observe, he inspected his territory with care, relishing the panoramic view currently exposed to his avid gaze.

Naruto laid face up, arms spread away from his body as his legs crossed teasingly to the side. Sasuke's cock twitched and he smiled.

"Tch! Stupid fox… I told you not to overdo it! I want to make love to you and you are all out of it… Yup, I've chosen your punishment, dobe. You will let your beloved Sas'ke-chan explore to his little's hearts content all your nooks and crannies and you won't say a word. Agreed? I promise you will like it, dobe… Good, I knew you would prove to be reasonable, Naruto." he whispered, taking in the relaxed muscles and snoozing features with predatory intent.

Grabbing the wet cloth, he carefully sponged down Naruto's sweaty body; using the cloth to explore every inch of skin, searching for previously unexplored areas. Humid bronze skin rose in goosebumps under his scrutiny, before he ran a wet towel over his lover's chest, carefully skirting around Naruto's pert nipples.

Recently those had gotten so sensitive he was able to give his dobe a truly intense orgasm just by sucking them. He smiled wondering if he should do that to awaken him.

'Nah, too early… we'll think of something good. Let's just explore for a while.' He moved his cloth slowly downwards.

The afternoon's cheerful light allowed him to see his dobe's body with a high degree of clarity which made him extremely glad.

His hungry gaze ran over pert rosy nipples, already standing at attention and ended on his rock hard belly with its strangely attractive tattoo.

Rationally, he knew the dark spiraling lines and complex symbols was just the physical evidence of an incredibly complex and powerful sealing jutsu performed by Konoha's fourth; that under the innocent-looking spiral a demonic beast of immense power lay imprisoned. Still, that didn't detract from its mystic beauty; instead it enhanced it.

The skin of his belly contracted helplessly as he remembered the searing heat burning itself into his skin, marking him.

He traced the spiraling negative of Kyuubi's restraining jutsu imbedded into his skin with a lazy finger, as his chest filled with pride.

It had been painful but extremely pleasurable for it meant Naruto had accepted him as his lover, having marked him. He liked the idea of belonging to his dobe as much as his dobe belonged to him: Uchiha Sasuke was owned and that made him glad.

'Finally!' he thought with glee. His fingers traced the spiral lazily as the cloth went even lower.

Spreading his dobe's legs apart, he washed carefully over pale thighs. He blushed remembering the strength of those thighs as they wrapped around his hips. His shaking hands curled around a slowly stiffening erection nestled in a bed of blonde curls, easily kneading him into full attention.

'Even asleep you are so sensitive!' he thought with satisfaction. The wet cloth lay forgotten over Naruto's thigh as his hands pinched and coaxed a dripping response from his blonde. He wanted a taste. Leaning forward, he pulled a soft sack inside his mouth, sucking and nibbling, savoring the moment. His dobe tasted wildly erotic, musky and spicy like his personality. He buried his face on the warm skin, wanting this unforgettable scent to be imprinted into his mind.

Naruto arched weakly against his face, shifting his legs a bit before relaxing. Sasuke stiffened and froze, willing his lover back into deep slumber. His nostrils registered a higher intensity on his koi's scent and surprisingly, a spicy wetness and heat covered his lower face.

'What?' he thought in confusion, squinting at the erect manhood. He licked experimentally and found a lighter coating of fluid on the lower part of his face. He looked down and frowned.

'What is this?' he wondered and spread his lover's legs wider. Impossibly, there seemed to be a smaller, almost imperceptible opening under Naruto's balls, oozing clear juices. Sasuke licked experimentally, making it twitch.

Using his fingers, he pushed his testicles away and spread the new opening, wondering why there was an extra hole here. It was not his lover's anus. That he could see very well further down, between his lover's buttocks. This small orifice oozed a clear, lightly musky juice that gave out a distinct scent his brain had previously labeled as Naruto's excited scent. It always preceded their lovemaking, pushing him to higher efforts. It was their mating scent.

Watching carefully for his lover's reactions, he pushed a finger inside, wondering how deep this new area was. His finger slid in easily and his dobe's hips twitched harder. He smirked. 'So you like this?' he wondered. Another finger joined the second, exploring this new area. It felt spongy and hot as he thrust in and out for a few minutes.

'Is this somehow Kyuubi related?' he mused thoughtfully. Clear fluid drenched his fingers and he brought them into his mouth for a taste as his other hand wrapped around Naruto's cock. The taste was incredible, pushing his already raging libido into unexpected heights.

_**Sorry… here is another cut chapter… you get the gist of it, ne? He is making love to Naruto under broad daylight… using his newly discovered place ... the lemon is where it always is...nyan... go find it!**_

'I could definitively get used to this, damn it!' he thought, increasing his efforts to lick his lover clean. His tongue invaded the place where his cock had been just a few minutes ago, tasting himself in his lover's body. Naruto mewled in his sleep, his body obviously very much in favor of his ministrations even if its owner was not.

'I must talk to him. I see nothing wrong with this. It obviously doesn't hurt to make love here… It's just another place to love. That's all. There's nothing to be ashamed of.' He sighed happily, before a bell rang far away.

'Huh?' he stopped to listen. 'It's the main door bell. Who can it be?' he wondered. That bell usually didn't ring, since he never had any visitors. He frowned, for a second torn between duty and pleasure. His head turned to watch his lover's flushed cheeks where they buried enchantingly against his pillow and he groaned helplessly.

'They can come back later for all I care… I am busy.' He thought and once again, pushed his tongue into his lover's body, desperate for another taste. The bell continued to ring far longer than expected, its metallic ring distracting him from the task at hand. He cursed under his breath as he gave Naruto's anus a last prod and lick.

'Kudos to you for persistence whoever you are, damn it!' he growled as he tore himself away from his excited lover.

Standing up, he paused only to stuff himself back inside his pants and throwing on his discarded shirt before stalking towards the door.

"This better be good or you are getting a taste of Katon Housenka no jutsu!" he called angrily, his tense back and shoulders informing the world at large that whoever stood before his door should prepare for a painful demise.

Pushing the door open with a deadly glare firmly in place, he crossed his arms waiting. Apparently his disgruntled expression failed to hide his murderous thoughts from his visitor as he found himself standing before a stammering and blushing Hinata.

"U…Uchi…Uchiha, Sasuke-san!" she said trying to ignore the murderous waves that oozed from the obviously frustrated man before her. A worried expression covered her face as she took in his disheveled appearance. He had the look of an angry, hungry predator taken away from his prey. She flinched.

"Um… I… I… Wondered if Naruto was fine… it's… been a while… and um… yeah… Tsunade wants to see you both… now." She stammered with a red face. It was imperative she saw Naruto.

Her intuition told her something was off and she was not backing down. Naruto was her friend even if he didn't share her feelings, so she would keep his best interest close to heart. With the Uchiha glaring knives into her head, she wondered if her blonde friend was truly safe inside this place.

He gritted his teeth. 'Hinata knows Naruto's here? How? We can't leave now! Damn it' he thought angrily. A throat cleared before him and his eyes turned towards the fidgeting kunoichi, patiently waiting for him to invite her inside the house. 'I don't have time for this.' He grumbled

"Hinata-san… See here… Naruto's fine, just sleeping right now. If you want, I will make sure to tell him you came by." He said with finality moving to close the door. Incredibly, she blocked his actions with a well placed foot. His gaze flew to her face and he had to give her points for courage. Her body language clearly stated her desire to leave but determination shone in her pale eyes like a beacon. She was not leaving without a fight.

"Uchiha-san… I am worried… I would like to wait for him if possible." As if confirming his previous thoughts, she lifted her jaw, refusing to back down. They measured each other impassively while her face turned an even fiercer shade of red.

'Why did she have to develop guts just now? I need the old Hinata, not the new one!' he cried inside.

"By all means, Hyuuga-san, come on in then." He said coldly, signaling she was most definitively not welcome inside his house. Stepping back, he turned to lead the way. Halting by the rarely used receiving room and signaled she was to enter.

"Wait here. I will wake him up and tell him you are here. Keep it short because we must see the Hokage." He said with indifference, raging inside at her impertinence. She nodded softly, staring demurely at her hands. He remained silent as she stepped in before closing the door with care, barely able to control his need to bang it closed in anger.

Livid, Sasuke made his way back into his room. Sliding the door open, a fist of desire slammed into his gut at the picture that welcomed him back. Naruto lay sprawled face down on his futon, his mouth sucking on his fist as he slowly thrust against the pillows previously used by Sasuke to lift him up. Increasing his tempo, his dobe pushed himself past the point of no return with a frenzied pace. Unable to tear his eyes from his enticing body, he approached the bed as his lover climaxed, screaming his name into the futon while his seed spread over his pillows.

'Thank god I have pillows to spare.' He thought helplessly falling to his knees and gathering his lover tenderly, to help him straighten from his position. Naruto protested weakly, still tired but finally awake. Bleary blue eyes welcomed him back.

"I missed you, bastard. Why did you leave?" he asked softly. Sasuke cursed a stream under his breath, damning the waiting kunoichi to a thousand years of pain for interrupting his precious time with his dobe. There was so much he still wanted to see and touch! Sobering up, he pulled Naruto to a sitting position.

"Come on, dobe. We got to dress. Tsunade is waiting for us." He informed succinctly, choosing to keep silent about the annoying kunoichi's presence inside Uchiha territory.

'She wants to wait then let her wait!' He thought with a put upon sigh that hid his true intentions from his dobe.

"Why did you let me sleep? What's the door doing open, you pervert?" he asked with narrowed eyes as he fought the urge to cover his lower body.

"You were hot, dobe; sweating. I helped you undress and gave you a sponge bath. That was all." He quipped simply, ignoring the suspicious glare that stuck to his back as he donned a new shirt.

'Now is not the time to talk about my discovery… he is upset … and there is Hinata to worry about too. It will have to wait.' He thought with a sigh of disgust.

Sasuke eyed his movements with hidden concern. Even though his body seemed more rested than before he was still tired.

'Obvious! You didn't let him sleep at all, you hentai freak!' his inner mind commented dryly as Naruto bent to pull on a fresh pair of orange pants. He paused, apparently noticing for the first time his groin was wet and sore.

'Damn it! I was sure I had licked you clean before I was so rudely interrupted… damned Hyuuga! But still, you are so slow, dobe!' Sasuke grinned full of mischief before pulling on his coolest expression.

"Oi… Teme… care to tell me why's it I feel all sweaty 'n sticky?" Naruto queried after a moment's silence, his furrowing brows signaling his displeasure. "You sure you didn't do anything other than washing my body? It feels as if I've had sex." His voice trailed off with embarrassment.

He shrugged changing his clothes. "Oh, I don't know why you feel like that! Maybe it's because by the time I got here from the kitchen there was a blonde hentai busily humping my pillows." He commented dryly.

Naruto's eyes widened in realization and he lounged towards the bedding, his face bursting with chagrin. Sasuke intercepted his movement, wrapping his hands around his dobe's waist. Was it him or it was thicker?

'A thicker waist means he's finally gaining a bit of weight. It's normal, you idiot!' He scolded himself for being a worrywart.

"Leave it dobe. We can deal with that later, ne?" he instructed. "We have to leave quickly, remember Tsunade?"

"Yeah… Maybe she will have a mission for us!" he turned energetically, his happy expression sending apprehension inside Sasuke's belly. Watching his dobe's eagerness filled him with worry but he was unwilling to disclose his misgivings regarding a new mission just yet. With that in mind, Sasuke baited his lover hoping to distract him.

"Maybe she is will tell us our vacation time just got extended, dobe." He replied tartly, expertly pushing his blonde's buttons. It was so much fun to provoke somebody as volatile as his lover! He smiled warmly, a scary signal that he was up to no good.

"Teme! I can't stand another day cooped up inside the house! If I don't get a mission soon I will go crazy! There's much that I can do, even if I am still easily tired. I am sure the damned cat escaped again or something! She has to give me something to do! Damn it!" he yelled in desperation tugging on his sandals.

"You are not ready to take on a mission, dobe! You are still too weak!" Sasuke exploded helplessly, his heart beating painfully loud inside his chest before regret pierced his heart as his eyes took in Naruto's hurt expression.

'Now you've done it! You just issued a challenge idiot! He won't back down now!' he berated himself for his stupidity.

"I can too take a mission, Teme! I may be a bit out of shape but I'm still a deadly shinobi. I ain't the stupid dobe you remember, Sas'ke! You'll see, I'll go now and ask for a mission! I don't wanna see you try 'n stop me, ok? Bastard!" his blonde yelled angrily, stomping towards the inner garden.

"Easy there! Don't tire yourself on the way out!" he warned insolently pulling on his arm-sleeves. Naruto's words scared him with their intensity. He had himself to blame for not realizing his dobe was so bored.

"Fuck off!" the blonde screamed as he crouched, preparing to leave via the inner garden roof when Sasuke called out to him.

"Oi, there's somebody…" The furious blonde muttered a hasty "Later." and took off. Onyx eyes watched Naruto leave with efficient movements as he fell silent with a mischievous smile.

'I only hope this is not about a mission… I don't want to tie Naruto down, but I will if it comes to that. He is too stubborn for his own good, damn it!' he frowned for a while as he finished dressing. 'Oh, well… I really tried to tell him Hinata was waiting to talk to him… such an impulsive fox, my dobe… Well, it's just too bad.' He sighed happily with a shrug, making his way inside the house with a half smile. There was still a Hyuuga waiting to be taken care of before joining his lover at the tower.

* * *

Oresama Sasuke: ... 

Naruto: ...

Nekochan: What? Fox got your tongues?

Naruto: You mean to tell me I have an extra hole under my balls? No way! I would have noticed! What's with this weakness, eh? I am not weak!!

Oresama Sasuke: deep in thought So, this is why... covers his face and turns away Oh God!

Naruto: Sasuke... Sasuke... I have a...Hey! What's wrong with you! You are bleeding! he frowns

Oresama Sasuke: No I'm not... sigh Come here, you! He lifts him and takes to the roofs

Naruto: whimpers Where the hell do you think you are taking me?

Oresama Sasuke: Home. There is something I have to see...

Naruto: Let me go you pervert! I dont have anything extra! I am a male, Damn it! Hey you Nekobaba! Help!

Nekochan: Go on dears... go on... you will find exactly what you want to find Sasuke-chan... have fun.


	9. Chapter 8: Finally, a Mission!

Hello, minna! I am sorry for updating so slowly… but my pen drive died taking months of school work, work related information and my fanfics. I was thankfully able to recuperate many things but my muse vacated the premises and I was just now able to convince her to return. Anyway… I just finished this chapter… its extra long to make up for the waiting time, nyan… 8,200 words so you won't complain of a short update… ok? The next chapter is already delineated; I had to stop myself from continuing this one. Anyway, here is the long awaited (I wish) update of my story.  
_

* * *

__Warning!_ **Vomiting and fainting ahead, read at your own risk...ne?**

**Chapter 8: Finally, a mission!**

Sasuke hopped over russet rooftops with an economy of effort, clearing obstacles with practiced ease on his way to the Hokage tower. His red eyes moved over buildings and spires searching efficiently for the best route. Locating a nearby alley, he jumped down into a crouch. Straightening, he smiled thinking of the furious Hyuuga he'd escorted out of the Uchiha section of Konoka.

'Serves her right! Nobody told her to interfere with the very pleasant task of Naruto-Charting. She should have known better.' He groused, nodding stiffly to the guards that stepped to the side to allow him access inside.

"They are waiting for you upstairs, Uchiha-san." The guards said neutrally, not looking at him.

"Hn." he shrugged and continued walking.

"Some people never learn ne? Aoyagi?" asked one guard to the other, uncaring if the silent man that just entered heard them or not.

"Hush! You idiot! He will hear. You know we got this lousy shift thanks to your loose mouth around a certain pink haired kunoichi! Hokage-sama is merciless when you offend one of her favorites." A deeper voice replied. Indistinct squabbling ensued, provoking a chuckle. It seemed they'd stumbled upon the well-known truth by mistake and they were now paying for their foolishness. Good for them! All of a sudden an idea robbed him of breath.

'On second thought, I'd better hurry before Tsunade decides to pull Naruto back into service just to spite me.' He thought with sudden anxiety. 'Surely she knows it's too early to press him back into service. He is not in active duty and is barely able to keep awake after a training routine that was piece of cake six months ago.' He frowned, hurrying up the stairs. Once on the top floor, he quickly made his way to the biggest operations room and knocked softly. Pushing the door open, he muttered an apology and slid past the men nearest the door.

"You are late, Uchiha." The Hokage frowned with displeasure as the dark-haired shinobi entered the room. Without losing his stride, he mumbled unintelligibly as he looked around.

Surprisingly there were a lot of people gathered tonight instead of the normal five or six the Hokage used on missions. ANBU and shinobi of all ranks mixed inside the operation's room usually reserved for diplomatic meetings. His heartbeat sped up as his instincts screamed in warning. Black eyes steeped in red searching frantically inside the crowd.

'Where is he, damn it!' he was getting desperate enough to try anything. If he couldn't find his blonde, the next step would be standing on tiptoes while the Hokage spoke. He could just imagine how that would go.

'I really seem to have a death wish! Naruto!' he called impatiently inside his head.

A flash of blonde and his heart sped up. 'There!' He was relieved to find him near the only bay window in the room, looking at ease near the front where Tsunade was busy briefing the others. Repressing a curse, he pushed his way through the crowd, frowning as he reached a tense blonde.

The moment he reached his dobe's side, his apologetic gaze searched his lover's blue eyes willing him to make eye contact. Unable to resist, cerulean orbs rose to meet his own and their gaze held for a long minute.

The stubborn blonde's pride resisted a while longer before the dark avenger's silent apologies vanquished his righteous anger. Closing his eyes, Naruto permitted his tense muscles to relax and heeded his body's natural urge to lean closer to Sasuke's heat with a sigh.

'Thank you, kami.' The raven thought with relief. Smiling tightly, he angled his body enough to keep prying eyes at bay as he surreptitiously curled his fingers around his lover's. Turning his attention back to his Hokage, he tried to retrieve the lost threads of conversation missed in his effort to search and make peace with his dobe.

"…Orochimaru's defeat and sudden death left the neighboring nations inside a power vacuum; now the area's daimyos struggle to attain the dominant position by force, diplomacy or intimidation. Each of you will be handed different assignments of varying degrees of difficulty. Our main concern is Lightning's neighbor: Valley Country. Marsh Country's request for an alliance stems from this country's sudden bid for power. Valley's Daimyo is a mysterious man of unknown ambitions. His closer neighbors, Marsh and Fang have plenty of reasons to fear invasion given the massive exodus of men, weaponry and horsepower migrating towards its borders. Our intelligence reports state that a worrisome amount of those on the move are either nuke-nin or ronin samurai." Tightening her lips, she waited for their reactions.

True to her expectations, a worried buzz rose in the room. Konoha's many confrontations with Sound and Sand came to mind. Many of the men and women present had fought valiantly during those times so they knew the danger and pain of war first hand. The last battle between Sound and Leaf was still too fresh inside their minds not to worry over this particular piece of information.

"This, gentlemen is enough reason for some nations to try to get us to sign all kinds of treaties. An alliance with the ever-strong Konoha, famous for her resourceful ninjas and our strong ties to Suna is the best way to insure their continued existence. Konoha must step out to defend her allies, leaving our city exposed. We must take care to choose only the very best are worthy of Konoha's protection; strong and independent nations able to offer resistance." Her eyes studied the men around her. She knew her decisions wouldn't be welcome by many of her people. Konoha's stand regarding allies had always been loose.

Everybody knew Konoha used to accept mostly everybody unlike other shinobi nations who were more selective. Sound had taught her many lessons and this was one of them: Only the strong survive. In the past, Konoha had been weak thanks to her 'allies' and had barely managed to survive by sacrificing too many good people. Such an outrage would not be allowed to happen again.

"The seriousness of the situation calls for every able man and woman to ready our defenses, establish a perimeter and strengthen ties between neighboring countries. I will send a reconnaissance team to Valley Country to determine the truth of our mission reports before we proceed with the negotiations." She squared her shoulders, knowing most would agree with this game plan. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Naruto shifted tiredly from one foot to the other. He looked ready to drop. She frowned.

"It is for these reasons that I am forced to activate every able body back into service. Most of you will work in strengthening our defense and security. Others will leave on diplomatic missions to visit our allied countries. We need to measure the adequacy of such allies given our current agenda. Sound's mistakes will not be repeated. Konoha's independence and power will not be compromised again. We need strong allies to back us up in our time of need and a clear picture of our enemies before we proceed. Sound will not be repeated. This time around, Konoha will not fall." Her strong voice filled the hearts of the men around her. The hopelessness that started to cloud their hearts at her news vanished quickly. Their Hokage had fought alongside them and she would do so again.

Meanwhile, Tsunade's worried gaze went over Naruto, who was still not responding in any way she could perceive. Her frown deepened. She could tell her gaki was not fully recuperated yet but her need for his unique skills was too great to be overlooked.

"Konoha's emergency defense plan is to be put into immediate effect. By now, everybody should know their tasks but if you don't, feel free to contact my assistants Sai-kun or Shizune-san. They will hold a debriefing session later during the day to coordinate your duties during this emergency. Please follow them outside. There are many things to be done and too little time!" She signaled towards the exit, watching as the majority filed towards the exit, eager to begin the Plan's implementation phase.

Naruto's blue eyes turned huge, going from her impassive expression to those retreating backs. The Hokage had not given them any clues to what they were supposed to be doing right now. He had never been told of this emergency plan. Was he supposed to be somewhere other than here right now? His eyes went to Sasuke who stood impassive to his left. When he found no answer there he looked around to see everybody marching towards the door. He frowned in confusion.

'Weren't they gonna to do a recon mission? I have to leave? But then, I am not in this special team? Does this mean I'm supposed to drag my feet around Konoha when I could be doing something worthwhile instead? They better not let Sasuke go!' Sweat was once again starting to slide down his back under his jacket. He was starting to hyperventilate and that was not good for his already churning stomach.

The sole idea of being left behind was enough to make him sick with anger. His stomach hurt and the headache that had plagued him the entire day returned with a vengeance. Tension knitted his already exhausted muscles, making him want to lean into Sasuke as he took deep breaths to clear his suddenly fuzzy head.

Sasuke eyed him and frowned. "Are you ok?" he whispered looking around to see if anybody other than him noticed his dobe's deathly pale countenance. Sun-kissed locks bounced messily as he nodded softly and looked away, his glassy eyes giving his emotions away in an instant.

"Don't worry, Naruto. There will be other missions for you, you'll see." He patted his back lightly, trying his best to cheer his dobe even though he knew it wouldn't work.

'Konoha needs me! I have to go!' Acid bile churned inside his belly at the thought of being left behind. His fists tightened and when he felt the sting of tears behind his closed eyelids, he bit his lip to keep his tears at bay.

'Now's not the time to cry, idiot!' he thought. 'But I don't want to stay here with the old coots, the weak and other good for nothing rejects! I am still useful! Come on, Tsunade-baachan… Give me a chance! Please!' he plead, turning baby blue eyes towards her in silent entreaty before it was time for him to leave the room.

Tsunade shifted her shoulders and cleared her throat feeling the weight of a certain blue eyed shinobi's gaze on her back. She smiled, her eyes dancing with mischief. She'd made her gaki suffer long enough with her silence. Even now, she was almost sure his paleness was due to his desperation at not knowing if he was part of the all important mission or not.

'Baka!' she thought with a fond smile. 'I'd've thought he'd be screaming ages ago! Maybe Jiraiya's right and my Gaki's really matured.' She was terribly proud of him. The fact that Naruto was holding his peace for so long was obvious proof of his maturity.

"Jounin, Chuunin, ANBU captain, please stay." She instructed softly as everyone scrambled to comply with her orders.

"Yatta! It looks like we've got a live mission coming our way, Teme! I thought she would leave me out of it!" Naruto whispered enthusiastically as it was made clear they were going to be briefed now. Relief made him dizzy and weak. His knees felt ready to give in as his mind processed he was not to leave. Glancing around, he turned on his thousand-megawatt smile to cover his anxiety. At first, he'd feared she would leave him out of the whole thing due to his previous illness but apparently it was not going to happen.

'I'm still useful! See, Naruto? Konoha still needs you!' he consoled himself, sighing with satisfaction.

Alarms blared inside Sasuke's brain as his mind made the unwelcome connections that made blood rush into his ears.

'Naruto can't take on a mission! He is barely able to stay awake, let alone alert to complete a dangerous mission!' he bit his lip with worry. His onyx eyes sought Kakashi's until they made eye contact. Only when he saw the white-haired Jounin shook his head lightly was he able to relax marginally.

"Now that we are alone, let's begin this mission's briefing." She nodded, taking a nearby roll and spreading it open to read. "The main mission will be treated as an A rank. It has a dual purpose: Enemy reconnaissance and diplomatic envoy. The exact duration of the mission is unknown. Most probably you will be away from home for up to six months in one of the cases. We need twelve individuals and three groups. There are two teams, Kitsune and Tengu with specific missions each. The third and more flexible support team, Tanuki will serve a dual purpose of escort and back up for both teams." She smiled coldly. Her heart went out to the youths in front of her. She prayed with everything inside her heart that they would make it back safely and that somehow war could be averted.

'Please be safe.' She offered a quick prayer before continuing.

"Tengu will infiltrate this country's borders to determine how much of a threat Valley's become. They will leave tomorrow at first light, taking a westerly course towards Valley Country. Kitsune will lead a diplomatic mission into Marsh Country to ascertain this country's true capacity in case Valley's threat turns out to be real. They will also gather scrolls containing information our various agents will deliver. They will leave tomorrow evening, using a more direct, thus visible easterly route. Tanuki as reinforcements will leave the day after, ostensibly following Kitsune to serve as reinforcements. Once they reach Valley, they meet Kitsune and help with both the diplomacy visit and the intelligence retrieval mission. Once completed, Kitsune will return immediately bringing vital information to reinforce Konoha's defense. They will be escorted by two of Team Tanuki's nin. The other two will join Tengu in their mission, to reinforce them any way they can. Is this clear?" She asked with a smile as approving mutters rose from those gathered.

"I better be on that mission, Tsunade-baba!" Naruto called from his place near the window. Tsunade stiffened as the nickname came from her young nin.

"You won't be in any missions if you keep it up, Uzumaki! That is not the way to talk to your Hokage!" she screeched, turning her formidable anger in his direction. When he was suitably cowed, she turned her attention to those around her.

"Yamanaka Ino, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and Nara Shikamaru their leader will complete team Tengu. They have all worked together during various missions and are more than able to handle a delicate mission such as this, where the need for stealth and secrecy is of utmost importance. Remember, you are not to engage in combat Tengu. Avoid it at all costs." She pierced them with an evil look that had them quaking in their sandals. The Hokage was not someone to be trifled with.

"Team Tanuki will be lead by Hyuuga Neji. He will be joined by Rock Lee, Tenten with the added strength of Akimichi Choji. Hyuuga, you have a double mission here. Given your levelheaded approach to life, you will take care to guide your team and control Team Kitsune during their diplomacy visit. I want no incidents, is that clear?" she eyed the pale-eyed Hyuuga, who nodded impassively.

"Well, that leaves us with Team Kitsune. The composition of this team kept me awake for days on end." She closed her eyes, weighting her next words carefully.

"Diplomatic dexterity, strength and prestige are needed by those in this team. We must impress our strength into our Allies collective mind. For this, we must send our most powerful along our best known shinobi; they must have proof of Konoha's supremacy. Thus Konoha's White Fang's heir, Hatake Kakashi will lead this mission." Approving murmurs rose from those gathered. Kakashi was well liked even if the majority thought him to be a pervert. Naruto's eyes widened wondering how his sensei would react to this. It was collective knowledge that Kakashi-sensei had unresolved issues regarding his father.

'And if they are willing to send him as Konoha's White Fang's heir, then that means…' clear blue eyes flew towards the pale face beside him. Dismay dampened his spirit when his mind registered the apprehension clearly written in Sasuke's dark eyes. Surely Tsunade wouldn't dare to send him! His head returned to his Hokage, intent in distracting her attention from his lover and back to where it belonged: him.

"Oi, Tsunade-baba! I wanna go too! I may not be from a famous family or anything like that but I'm well-known in ninja circles. Even better, I can serve as a scout! I'm powerful enough to deal with the unexpected with ease and I know the terrain better than anybody here! Ero-senin made sure I had every square inch of land embedded in my memory by the time he had us return! I am the best scout out there and you know it, so don't you dare leave me out of this!" Naruto words stopped the Hokage's next words effectively, stepping up to her.

A weird mix of desperation and anger twisted his features, daring her to deny his request. Tension quickly swamped the room as Hokage and shinobi faced off. Behind him a black haired man gasped.

"I was thinking along those lines when I chose to include you but I was not sure if you were completely healed yet, Naruto." She started with a smile but was abruptly cut off.

"And you thought right, Hokage-sama." Sasuke stressed her title, his eyes an eloquent reminder of her position in relation to her desires.

"Uchiha-san… Your reports on his condition have all been favorable so far. He has not had a relapse, so it seems likely he's ready to return to active duty. I would have thought you'd be more than happy to get the gaki out of your hair." She commented airily, willing him to speak his mind freely. Her attention fell completely on the blond-haired man they were actively discussing. His red-face spoke of anger and embarrassment, emotions she was not used to seeing across her gaki's face.

"With all due respect, Uzumaki Naruto has been under my care for the past two months and I can't, with a clear conscience, recommend him for such a dangerous mission. So far, he is not up to strenuous activities, he tires easily and he is still underweight." Sasuke's arrogant voice resounded behind Naruto's back making the blonde whirl as betrayal glittered hotly inside cerulean depths.

"Teme! What are you talking about? You know I am perfectly fine!" His hands tightened into fists to still the quaking of his limbs. "I am almost able to train at my previous level! This afternoon was a fluke and you know it! I trained with too many clones for too long, that's all!"

"You only trained at half the intensity of your normal training sessions, dobe and yet you were unable to stay awake during lunch!" He chided without hesitation, unwilling to meet his gaze as he chose to disclose Naruto's real condition even if it meant hurting him.

'You are too reckless, Naruto. Knowing you, you would run yourself into the ground and put your life on the line needlessly. Somebody has to take care of you… even if you don't want to do it yourself.' Sasuke kept his gaze carefully to the side knowing his weak resolve would melt the moment he made eye-contact with his lover. He hated himself for hurting him and he sure didn't want to see the pain he could hear in his dobe's voice but keeping quiet and endangering him was a risk he would not take.

"Teme! I've been eatin', sleepin' an' shittin' as much as I possibly can without blowing up something! So, I tire too easily after a regular bout of training. So, I'm not healing as fast as was normal. So, I can't eat as much as I used to. So, my hips, tailbone and belly hurt like a bitch, so what? What else would you have me do if my strength's not returning as quickly as it should? What're you gonna do, kick Kyuubi? Tie me to the bed? Come on, stop worrying so much!" Naruto raged impulsively, thinking only of winning this argument for once fed up with Sasuke's overprotectiveness. Silence warmed his ears when his words and his surroundings merged inside his brain. Trepidation rose in his eyes as he whirled to face Tsunade.

"I mean… I can explain…" he started, his beating heart hammering painfully inside his chest.

"Precisely Naruto! As you so eloquently explained, you are underweight and unable to hold a reasonable conversation after a normal training session let alone one of your usual punishing ones, dobe. You are not healing quickly either. Even now, you are barely able to stand straight. Let the Hyuuga check your chakra system with his byakugan. We both know what his findings will be." The raven challenged mercilessly, intent on driving home his point.

"Teme!" Naruto hissed a warning but still Sasuke pushed on recklessly. After all, he was sworn to protect his lover even if that meant going against his own stubborn self.

"Dobe, you know that, without your usual inexhaustible reserves of chakra and stamina, you are as weak as a new born baby. As it is, you are barely passing your weekly milestones. Kakashi here can attest the truth of my words. In your current state you will surely become a liability not an asset for this mission. I am sure you don't want that, right?" he asked icily, his voice sharp enough to cut his lover in two. Sasuke paused for a second, hoping his words were enough to expose his lover's strong man act.

Concerned whispers spread like a rash over the assembly. Naruto's ability to successfully complete a mission regardless of the circumstances had never been questioned before. He was Konoha's number one surprise ninja and many had never truly thought about the possibility of illness or death befalling the blonde. Naruto studied the surrounding expressions as they ranged from chagrin to outright bafflement.

"Come on you guys! What's with this worrying about my health! That's never been a concern before! I'm fine!" he flexed his arms energetically but soon tired. Blushing to the roots of his hairline, he cleared his throat and laughed forcefully throwing his arm around a silent Sasuke's neck.

"Forget about this one here! You know me better than that. This Uchiha is just a worrywart, people! You all know I'd die before risking a mission. I know when I'm unable to perform." He scratched the back of his head offering his silent peers a grin brilliant enough to put the sun to shame.

"True." Half-closed Hyuuga eyes stared at him until he froze, nervous sweat running down his spine. "We all know that Naruto would never imperil a mission. We also know he would never hesitate to sacrifice himself for it either and we do not want that to happen." He stated firmly, a roar of agreement backing him up.

"You have to take care of yourself, Naruto!"

"Yeah, if you are ready then stay home you idiot!"

"You always think about others, its time you think about yourself."

"Yeah, you're important too, you idiot!"

"Arf!"

"Troublesome, Naruto."

Naruto wavered in the middle of the room as a barrage of well intentioned comments washed over him. He could feel his blood drain slowly down his face as the ramen he'd consumed during lunch threatened to leave his body forcefully. His vision turned hazy as he gritted his teeth, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

'Get a hold of yourself, baka! You keep it up you will end up fainting before everybody here and then you really wont be able to go! Come on, Naruto! Breathe! Yeah, that's it.' Locking his knees in place, he held onto his consciousness with sheer force of will. He was not moving until they let him participate on the mission and that was that!

Sasuke concentrated in a spot on the other side of the wall, marshaling his willpower. His hands tightened into fists, angered that Naruto insisted on undertaking such a dangerous mission. He knew any reasonable ninja would step down given the fact that his ability to fulfill his mission was publicly questioned and he was being given the chance to stay home to recuperate.

'Reasonable, that's the operative word. Which Naruto is not and never has been.' He sighed, aware the only way Naruto would be able to participate now would be a direct order from his Hokage and that it would be badly received by the other nins.

This was the first time Naruto's needs were taken into consideration by most of his friends, given the unstated belief that Naruto wouldn't know death or illness given Kyuubi amazing healing abilities. In their minds, Naruto was near damn indestructible so they didn't have to worry too much.

'I can't believe I once thought the same.' He thought with embarrassment. Before this, he never once questioned Naruto's fitness and well-being before a mission. In his mind, his friend was invincible. Only after witnessing how close he'd come to death was he able to realize his dobe was human after all. A talented Jinchuuriki possessed with boundless chakra and stamina but human nonetheless.

Once their friends' protective feelings were awakened, he was sure they would not back down easily. The Hokage was in for a surprise if she chose to include him in the mission nonetheless. There was no way he was allowing Naruto to leave alone. Ban or no ban, Uchiha Sasuke would protect his dobe regardless of the consequences!

Dark eyes regarded Naruto with finality, fully aware of the possibility he'd alienated his lover in his effort to keep him safe. Still, he would not change his mind. His dobe was better off alive and hating him, than dead.

Naruto bit his lip trying to contain the swelter of emotion that threatened to choke him. It was not supposed to go like this. Sasuke was supposed to accept the mission graciously. They should be on their way home to pack their belongings, eagerly anticipating the start of their mission, happy in their newfound love. He wasn't supposed to be here instead, fighting for the chance to go on this mission thanks to Sasuke's foolishness!

'How can you betray me, Sasuke? You should understand me better than anybody else! They can't see my weakness, how can I be Hokage if I am taking so long to heal such stupid wounds!' he screamed inside his head, aware he was being unreasonable but unwilling to relent just yet. Knowing Sasuke was trying to protect him and had nothing but his well-being in mind didn't make it any easier on his heart. He still couldn't stop feeling his lover was betraying him when he needed him the most.

The deafening silence had been allowed to go on long enough. Fed up, Sasuke once again tried to reach Naruto.

"Oi, are you just going to stand there? Aren't you supposed to be weaseling your way back into the Hokage's good graces, dobe?" he asked cynically, baiting his lover for all he was worth. A screaming Naruto was better than a silent Naruto by a long shot. The blonde remained unresponsive for a while longer. Sasuke's heart cringed inside his chest.

"Teme… Is this your idea of fun? Straight-laced bastard! Do you always have to prove you are right, eh? I knew you wouldn't let it go! You are so damned stubborn! I know I promised not to strain myself but I never thought you'd use that against me!" he spat angrily, taking a step in his direction, his intentions unclear even to himself.

'Now that's more like it…' the raven smiled eagerly, glad the betrayed look vanished from twin pools of ice.

"Come on, dobe. What're you gonna do, huh? Even you know better than to turning the Hokage's office into a brawl, usuratonkatchi!" he taunted softly, eyeing Naruto's body as he moved. Unsure of his dobe's intentions, Sasuke crouched, bracing himself to defend them both against his dobe's stupidity.

Naruto growled and moved swiftly towards the Uchiha, rage blinding him momentarily. Out of nowhere, two nins and a large dog moved to control the angry blonde while Lee and Shika stepped closer to the raven. The pale man lifted his hands to show his intention to stay cool, watching closely as Kiba and Hyuuga attempted to subdue the fiercely struggling blonde.

"Enough, all of you!" Tsunade interrupted them before it could degenerate into an all-out fight. The three males stiffened and turned their attention towards their livid Hokage. Naruto stiffened, noticing for the first time they were completely surrounded by their peers.

"Leggo, you overgrown jerks!" The blonde grumbled distractedly, jerking his arms from the iron grasp of his two friends. He whimpered softly, bringing his hands up to try and soothe the heartburn that boiled in his stomach. 'Gods! I shouldn't have eaten so much ramen…'

'Damn it!' The raven eyed the others around them warily. 'I can't believe I was so far gone that I never noticed them closing in on us.'

"Heed my words all of you. Uchiha-san's report notwithstanding, I am sending Naruto on this mission." Incredulous gasps rose from the people around him as Tsunade's words sank inside their brains.

"There's nobody more suited to the scouting position than him. Before you object, please remember you are not in a position to make demands Uchiha-san. He will scout for the Kitsune team and Kakashi will lead. That's my last word on the matter. Understood?" The dark haired shinobi stiffened, opening his mouth to protest this outrage but fell silent at the forbidding glare she sent his way.

"Naruto knows the terrain better than any of you. Both of you, Hatake Kakashi, son of Konoha's White Fang and Uchiha Sasuke, last surviving member of Konoha's noble Uchiha clan will stand beside Hyuuga Neji to represent us during the diplomatic visit. You will also pick up vital information to be delivered once you are inside Marsh Country. I wasn't thinking of sending her along before but it appears Haruno-san will be needed to keep our foolish gaki from overexerting himself. That way your concerns will be addressed and the mission shall proceed. Don't you agree, Uchiha-san?" she smiled mischievously. It was deeply satisfying to see Naruto sputtering his indignation at being treated like a child but holding his peace for fear of being taken off the mission.

Worried but more at ease Sasuke nodded, grateful for Tsunade's support on this matter. Eyeing his lover warily, he tried to reach him without drawing everybody's attention. Surely Naruto knew he was only worried about his welfare! The blonde stood immobile beside him, his jerky movements telling the world around him of his disappointment and hurt.

Half an hour later, the meeting came to an end. Naruto's head was still down but it was not to keep the others away. This time, he was desperately biting his lip to keep his heaving stomach under control. Nausea roiled in tight waves, making goosebumps bloom all over his pale skin. He tightened his eyes and shivered, swallowing convulsively as his ears buzzed with effort.

'You can do it! Come on, Naruto. Just a bit longer, hold it in. You can do it!' He prayed desperately for the end of this hellish meeting.

"If there are no further questions, this meeting is adjourned." Tsunade said. "Please see Shizune-san for written instructions before you leave today. The times for departure and the mission's instructions will be delivered to you later today. If you have any mission related questions after we finish, please see her."

Tsunade had barely finished saying that when Naruto turned tails and ran, using the bay window as an emergency exit. "Tsk, Impatient Naruto!" she growled. "Uchiha-san. Make sure the gaki gets the information he needs for this mission. And don't, I repeat, do not upset him anymore."

Speeding over rooftops as if the Akatsuki themselves were after him, he fought the urge to vomit that had been threatening to overcome him from the moment Sasuke betrayed him.

'Bathroom… gotta get to a bathroom… Ack!' Unable to stand it any longer, he quietly dropped into a dank alley and proceeded to be violently sick. Trembling arms held him upright as he bent forward. His sides heaved with effort, trying to rid his stomach of its meager contents. His vision swam and he closed his eyes, in a valiant effort to keep the disgusting mess away from his clothes and shoes. Labored breathing filled his ears as his knees lost their battle against gravity. Moaning, he sank to the floor unable to control his quaking body while it purged itself.

Agonizing minutes pierced his stomach as he arched over and over until only bile and snot surged up his throat, burning its path on its way out. Exhausted, he blew his nose to clear the stink of vomit, frowning with revulsion. A clammy hand rose to his forehead and he shivered.

'I need to get out of here. Sasuke will get worried… ' he thought distractedly. Inspecting the area with distaste, his sensitive nose picked on the stench of decay, humidity and urine mixed with the half-digested remains of today's lunch. Hot bile churned inside his belly and he pushed himself to stand, shaking his head to clear it.

The terrible smell made him queasy as he stepped away, gagging. Using the wall for support, he moved away as quickly as possible. He needed fresh air, if he caught another sniff of the noxious fumes inside this alley he would double up once again. Tears ran freely down his cheeks as his throat protested. It felt raw and tight as he cleared it gingerly, leaning against the brick wall.

'I need water.' He thought desperately. 'God, I'm really fucked up if fighting with that bastard reduced me to this!' he whimpered helplessly as another wave of nausea stirred inside his belly.

'Stop it! I don't have anything else to vomit! Come on!' he begged his unsettled stomach. Cold air drafted over his back bringing with it the stench of the alley. His stomach contracted again and he moaned miserably, once more reduced to a heaving mass of humanity. Dry heaves shook his thin frame as a headache throbbed inside his head. Wrapping his shaking limbs around himself, he doubled over falling back in a last ditch effort not to roll on his own vomit.

'Argh! Enough! Please! I swear not to fight Sasuke anymore! Please!' He pleaded weakly, gasping as sweat, snot and tears dampened his face. Desperate, he undid the wrappings around his thigh. He had to use something to mop his face. His hands alone wouldn't do as they smelled of vomit and filth. Taking small, shallow breaths seemed to help his nausea, for soon he was feeling much better.

'I better not tell Sasuke! If he knew he would blow it totally out of proportion, damn it!' he grumbled and again nausea swept his empty belly. Scared, he pushed away his angry thoughts and concentrated on clearing his mind.

'If I keep a tight reign on my temper I should be able to talk to Sasuke. I must control myself or I will puke again. Gods! I hate myself!' he bit his cheek. He had a bone to pick with the Uchiha bastard and nobody was going to stop him from confronting him, upset stomach or not. Straightening his shoulders, he retraced his steps back to the Uchiha compound.

* * *

**_Uchiha Mansion, after nightfall_**

Nighttime blanketed Konoha by the time he reached the mansion. Gathering his strength, he took to the roof of the house, intent in gaining access through the inner patio. He couldn't let Sasuke see him like this. Alighting carefully near the old well house, he slipped inside leaving the door open wide enough to let the moonlight in. The weathered wood bearing the Uchiha crest welcomed him silently. Sneezing hard enough to split his tender head, he approached the well, bending to lift the bucket and peer inside. Satisfied no creepy crawlies made their home inside, he threw the bucket down the dark depths of the well.

A resounding splash some time later announced the well was not empty as he'd feared. Drawing water was hard work but the water tasted clean and pure, helping to ease his unsettled belly. He sighed with satisfaction, breathing deeply. With a frown, he eyed his clothes. They were stained and itchy. Repressing a shudder, he took off his jacket, sandals and pants. His skin crawled with the idea of kneeling in that alley to puke his guts out.

'I'm taking a bath here… now. I'll worry about clothes, the cold and insects much, much later.' He thought, slowly emptying the bucket's contents over his tired and hot skin.

'Damn its cold!' he gasped as his skin tightened; cold rivulets of water caressing his skin as they slipped over his body, provoking more goosebumps on their way to the floor. A barely repressed moan escaped his lips. It felt like a thousand little tongues were licked his skin simultaneously! Shivering lightly, he felt his nipples react to the cold, wet heat spreading over his body.

Looking down, his pupils darkened with appreciation taking in his young, lithe body where he sat in the near darkness. He was still too thin, but his muscled thighs, hard abs and lithe tanned chest all spoke of hours of training under the sun.

His hands took on a life of their own as they caressed tight nubs, pinching and rolling them hard enough to wrench another moan from his lips. They were so sensitive! Heat spread over his belly to pool in his groin where familiar wetness soon flowed making him blush. His tanned skin glowed enticingly under the moonlight, the sparking droplets inviting his fingers to explore even further down. His eyes fixed over the golden nest between his legs where his manhood now stirred back to life. Tipping the last contents of the bucket over his chest, he panted softly as his abdominal muscles rippled in response to the cold.

'If Sasuke saw me now, he would blow a gasket.' he smiled coyly, imagining his handsome lover watching him bathe.

He'd never dared to do that in front of him. He was too body conscious. Dropping the bucket inside the well again, he worked the pulley to lift more water. Hoisting the heavy bucket, he splashed his hot face with cold water shivering a little.

Blushing in the darkness, he marveled at the shimmering droplets that ran unheeded from his chin down his pale skin. The well house protected his body from the hard drafts but it did little to keep the cold at bay.

'Sasuke's tongue would feel so good licking the water from my body.' He groaned softly, wondering what his lover's hot and talented tongue would feel like sliding roughly over his cold skin.

"Hn… Naruto Pervert! Stop thinking like that! What would Sasuke say to this if he knew?" he asked out loud.

"That it's a shame you don't do it more often." A dark voice shattered the silence and he whirled almost losing his balance. Hot hands tightened around his bicep to steady him, making his heart jump inside his chest.

"Careful there! Damn it, Naruto! You are colder than a block of ice! What's with the idea of a cold bath so late at night! We have a mission tomorrow, dobe!" he nagged, removing his shirt and pulling it over Naruto's head.

"Worry, worry, worry… Instead of Sasuke, you should be named Fret." Naruto countered.

"You know I worry because I love you." He scolded softly. Something inside Naruto snapped at those words. His hurt and betrayal returned with full vengeance. Breaking away from Sasuke, he turned away, wrapping tan arms around a thoroughly chilled chest.

"How can you say you love me one moment and then betray me the other? She was this close to keep me from going! This close Teme!" he chastised angrily. His body soon trembled without restraint but still he didn't allow Sasuke near him.

"Apparently it was not enough, you are still going!" Sasuke reminded him neutrally.

"Yeah, but not thanks to you." He countered, throwing him a dark look over his shoulder.

"I did what I had to. I must keep you safe." He retorted bending to pick up naruto's clothes.

"Leave that there you idiot! It's filthy!" He yelled, loath to touch them. Sasuke frowned as a whiff of vomit reached his nostrils.

"What happened to you? Why does this smell like somebody puked all over it?" he asked with disgust.

"Because it did!" he retorted and then stiffened. "Gimme that!" he took hold of the clothes, but gagged as their stench reached him again.

"Stop that!" Sasuke pulled hard and threw them away to be retrieved later. "Are you ok?" he asked full of concern.

"It's none of your damned business! Lemme go, you prick!"

Naruto squirmed weakly to leave his lover's embrace.

"You have to understand!" Sasuke tried to reason with the blonde to no avail. The smaller man elbowed him quickly to get himself released and hurried stumbling inside the house. Once there, he tore Sasuke's shirt away from his body and clothed himself with his favorite pair of pajama bottoms and a long sleeved shirt, his movements stiff and full of anger.

"Naruto" Sasuke reached the room at a slower pace, willing his lover to calm down.

"There is nothing to understand. I don't know why I am still standing here instead of leaving." He growled, tired and hungry.

"I refuse to lose you, Naruto. I can't risk it and I won't." he replied stiffly.

"You won't lose me! This is just a temporary thing, Sasuke. You know that!" the blonde headed towards the kitchen. He was hungry now, even if the possibility of vomiting again loomed closely in his mind. For the past half hour his stomach had remained mercifully silent. Maybe whatever it was that ailed him had already passed.

"No, I don't. That's why I can't risk keeping quiet! You are too important! Can't you get it through your thick skull?" Sasuke followed, in an effort to make him understand his worry. His eyes followed the smaller man hungrily, his eyes watching the sensual movements of his rolling hips as he walked. Naruto's tight ass was truly a sight to behold. His mind remembered the sight burned into his retinas of a naked Naruto bathing in the well house and he felt himself harden. Now was not the time for this kind of thoughts, he decided pushing away his perverted thoughts.

"So you say but hasn't it occurred to you to think that you risked losing me if you interfered? Don't you see if I am not allowed to go, I will lose all value?" The blonde stood in front of the cupboard for a moment before he turned around to watch him.

After a while, he returned to his quest for food. Reaching the fridge, he pulled on the handle and bend forward to look around inside. Taking out the carton of milk they kept for him, he went to the sink to find himself a glass. The Uchiha avenger wouldn't touch the stuff if it killed him but it was somehow soothing to watch his dobe eat.

Sniffing cautiously to check for drink-ability, he served himself a glass which he drank greedily. Moaning with pleasure while bathed in the refrigerator's white light, Sasuke thought there wasn't a creature more beautiful than his Naruto.

"I am willing to take the risk if that's what it takes to keep you safe, dobe." He stated softly, willing him to understand his worries once and for all.

"What is all this talk of fears, loss and risks? Who are you talking to? You misunderstand, Sasuke. I am not a valuable person. I am just a thing. Konoha's " his next words were interrupted by Sasuke's sharp voice.

"Dobe!" Naruto shrugged. Leaving the empty glass over the counter, he stepped closer to the fridge again and rummaged inside. An eager smile crossed his face and his hand dove in quickly. The raven frowned wondering what was so interesting inside his fridge. Usually that expression was reserved for ramen and sex. He blushed remembering. A satisfying crunch echoed in the darkness and Sasuke's eyes flew to his dobe's mouth. Slightly taken aback, he watched as Naruto devoured a handful of baby carrots, raw.

'What the fuck?' Sasuke blinked, trying to understand what his eyes were seeing. 'Naruto's voluntarily eating raw vegetables? Something is definitely wrong with this picture.' He thought with amazement. Only when his ears picked up his dobe's next flurry of words was he able to tear his gaze away from the image of a carrot-eating Naruto.

"…they only care about the Kyuubi brat and what I can do for the village, not me! When I was sick they worried because Konoha would lose a powerful weapon, that's all. My life's always been a second thought. It's always about the damned fox! So you shouldn't wo-" A painfully sharp slap broke the tension. Red-swirling eyes held Naruto in place as the Uchiha fought for self-control. In the blink of an eye, Sasuke crossed the kitchen and wrapped his fingers around Naruto's thin arms in a painful grip.

"How dare you say this feeling I hold inside my heart is greed for power not love? Do you mean to mock what we have? Do you?" Sasuke's hands shook him hard enough to make him cry out as his hands flew out to steady him.

"I don't know!" he screamed, keeping his eyes tightly closed. "I don't know what to believe anymore, Sasuke! I am so damned confused!" He whimpered softly. His headache was returning with a vengeance now that he was once again fighting with his lover.

"You don't know what to believe anymore you say? Why do you refuse to believe I love you? Damn it Naruto! What do I have to do?" He brought him hard against his chest, willing him to believe. The blonde sighed into the embrace allowing himself a second to bask in the comfort of his teme's warmth before he gathering his resolve.

"I will say this only once, so pay attention, Teme. First of all, stop treating me like a fragile thing! I am not a girl. I am 100 male Sasuke. Even if during sex I spread my legs for you, remember you are my first and I still have my pride! Second, I am a ninja for kami's sake! I may be sick and healing slowly but I am still able to work, Teme. Let me do the only thing I know how to do well!" The blonde reluctantly pushed away from the comforting warmth of his black-haired lover's embrace in an effort to express his feelings. Stepping away, he hugged himself tightly. He'd never felt as lost as he did right at that moment. He was not sure of anything anymore and that hurt.

"Naruto." Sasuke approached his lover, still trying to reach him. It was incredible the way he was reduced to a sniveling mass of nerves by the strength of his feelings for this man. His famous Uchiha pride was taking beating after beating. He was not sure he liked it.

"I'd better leave… ne?" Naruto whispered, turning to look at his lover with guileless eyes. His body was restless and confused; he needed to sort his feelings. Shrugging he stepped forward, intending to leave just then.

A hand restrained his forward motion. 'If this keeps up, I will puke again. Leave now, while you are ahead, Uzumaki.' His hand covered Sasuke's warm fingers as they curled around his arm. He offered his lover a quivering smile, hoping he would understand.

"I'm going home to pack my stuff for the mission, my civilian clothes are here but most of my nin stuff is still there. I will stay there tonight, so don't wait up for me, ok? I need to think, Sasuke." He whispered. An eerie silence fell over them and the tense hand under his relaxed, falling magically to the side. Naruto marched into the bedroom and pulled on a short yukata, knowing a pair of all seeing eyes watched him intently.

"I'm not going far, so I won't get chilled. Don't worry, please. I'll be back around noon, ok?" He said to nobody in particular as he walked through the house using the main door this time and left in a hurry.

Once in the safe haven of his apartment, he leaned against the door. His apartment had the musty smell of a place that hadn't been lived in a long time. It felt empty, unused, abandoned, just like him.

"Sasuke." He whispered as his feelings finally boiled over. He spent a long time crying, sitting against that door. After the storm abated, Naruto roughly dried his tears using the heels of his hands.

'You are such a crybaby! Sasuke just wanted to help you.' He pushed to his feet quickly. There were lots of things to be packed for this mission. An A rank mission usually meant dangerous situations where they would need to keep their resourcefulness and creativity foremost in their brains. There would not be a second chance so he had to pack accordingly.

Fatigue stuck to him like a wet towel and he dragged his feet into the living room. Somebody had left his mission pack beside his beat up sofa. He sighed, bending to pick it up to start working on it. Dizziness assaulted him and he stumbled, falling half on the sofa as his apartment bucked wildly around his feet.

'Earthquake? What the…' he blinked quickly to clear away his vertigo but it didn't work. The bothersome buzzing plaguing his ears and the airy feeling inside his brain distracted him as his vision faded into black.

* * *

There… I hope you liked it… if you find any errors, please let me know… I will be doing some tweaking during the next few days until its perfect… but I didn't want to let you wait any longer… hope you don't mind, ne! Bai bai and don't forget to leave me a line to tell me what you think about this... I don't want to bore you to tears, nyah... shrugs anyway... forgive me if you find this chapter way too long... I promise to make the next one shorter, ok?

Oh, and by the way, what did you think about the vomiting and fainting scenes? nasty? poorly written? left you cold? well done? I just hope you felt half of the disgust I did writing it...grins impudently Ja ne!


	10. Chapter 9: The Oath

Hi! Its me again... with a short chapter... that ends up with a lemon...that's cut off and with the torturous news that the next chapter will begin with a lemon too... I will make an effort to make it logical so you can enjoy with or without lemons...ok? Meanwhile, you know what to do... hope you like!!

* * *

Chapter 9: The Oath

"Naruto… Naruto! Wake up!" A weirdly muffled voice called his name insistently.

"Hn… go'way… lemme 'lone… mmmh, I'm tired." He whined sleepily, burying his face into his hard pillow.

"Come on, wake up! There's much to be done yet you keep on sleeping! Move it, Uzumaki!" the voice persisted and he opened resentful blue eyes to peer at his tormentor.

"I'll be there on time… worry 'bout yourself and lemme 'lone!" he yawned, wondering sleepily why his body ached so much.

"You sure you are comfortable in that position?" Kakashi's muffled voice held an intriguing mix of curiosity and amusement. That was enough to capture Naruto's attention.

Opening his eyes, he allowed his awareness to return and was soon groaning with pain. His body was numb from the hips down. His back, legs and arms were suddenly cramping from the long held position.

"Damn it! Ahhh! Ahhh! It hurts!" he moaned as he curled in on himself.

"You shouldn't be doing that, stand up and work the cramps away from your body." The white haired Jounin counseled from his spot near his head.

"Easier said than done, damn it! It hurts! Aaahhh!!" he groaned in pain, massaging his spasmodic calves. Naruto's back felt on fire and he was sure his arms were going to fall off if he so much as dared to bend them back into their natural position. He wondered how he could have been so stupid to have fallen asleep like that!

'Wait a minute, I don't remember falling asleep? What the hell happened? Last I remember it was all woozy… and there was an earthquake… no… I fainted? What the fuck?' he frowned unwilling and unable to analyze the situation in his current pained state.

"Maybe I should have let you sleep until you decided to wake up by yourself… ne Naruto? Only thing would have been gangrene setting in by then." His sensei lifted a limp arm and dutifully returned it to its former position, making Naruto gasp and arch off the sofa, barely able to supress a gasp of pain.

"God damn it! Fuck! You did that on purpose, sensei!" he grumbled like a wounded beast, nursing his leaden limbs while the circulation was restored inside them. Tiny pinpricks tormented his body mercilessly and he moaned louder.

"How's it possible? I haven't done anything wrong… oh and by the way, stop moaning like that. Your saintly neighbors'll think you're bumping uglies with me, you know." He teased, eyeing Naruto's pink face with interest.

"And that would shot your reputation to hell, right? You pervert!" Naruto lashed sarcastically, massaging sensation back into his thighs.

'He has certainly matured nicely. Who would have thought! He reminds me of somebody.' He thought distractedly as his heartbeat sped up. 'Come on Kakashi... If Iruka was able to get a glimpse inside your head you would not be breathing right now. Stop it! Think happy thoughts if you want to keep your lover and your dick in one piece.' he grimaced.

"It's more a matter of keeping my head attached to my shoulders. You don't know how jealous Iruka gets when you are involved. I'd rather keep the family jewels, if it's the same to you. My dolphin would be rather upset if I wasn't around to sink my teeth into his-"

"Kakashi! Shut up!" Naruto bellowed, blushing madly.

"…cooking because you know he loves to cook! Gosh, Naruto! Bedding Sasuke has really turned you into a pervert!" he finished with feigned astonishment. Naruto gaped like a fish as his face turned an interesting shade of mauve.

'Hatake, one, Naruto, zero. It's looking bad for the home boys. Good job, Kakashi!' he thought with a cynical smile.

"You know?" he asked with disbelief.

"He told me." He replied simply, his eyes curving comically.

"He told you?" Naruto deadpanned, disbelief clearly written in his face.

'It never occurred to him to deny it? Fascinating! Maybe it's not a one-sided thing as I first thought… good choice, Naruto.' He grinned approvingly, thinking how fast kids grew these days.

"So, you better start packing soon! We are going to be out for a long time so do it carefully, ok? Don't just pack ramen, like the last time. Remember to take the essentials! You know, things like a bed-roll, condoms, matches, lube, soap… butt plugs." Kakashi listed dutifully. Knowing Naruto was an old hand at packing for missions didn't mean he couldn't tease him into frenzy. And the ramen incident was always a good place to start. Simply put, Kakashi couldn't help himself.

"Condoms? Lube? Butt plugs? Kakashi! What the heck are you talking about?!" Naruto screeched red-faced, backpedaling on the sofa until he fell to the floor with a thud. Not taking his eyes off Kakashi's scrawny figure, he dragged himself even farther away, pain and numbness forgotten in his haste to put space between them.

"For the record, the ramen thing happened on my first genin mission. I was 12 for chrissake!" he protested nervously, looking everywhere but at his ex-sensei. The ramen incident was still a source of nightmares inside his brain.

"Sure, Naruto. And when you're done packing, get your ass right off to Tsunade's. All this talk of your not being healthy enough to go on a mission got her knickers on a twist. She wants to confirm or deny the truth of Sasuke's report with her own hands." He snickered, shoving his hands inside his pockets while counting under his breath. Soon enough, Naruto yelped, scrambling back inside the room as soon as he understood Kakashi's message. Holding onto the threshold, he waited a second to gather his breath. Kakashi's eyes tightened.

"Tsunade-baba wants to do what? Man! I am fine! I told her! She shouldn't worry about me… she knows I will be able to perform just fine… Damn it!" he was beside himself with worry, tanned hands unconsciously rubbing his neck.

Kakashi's elegant brows drew into a line as his mind registered that contrary to popular belief, Naruto was more than aware he was not completely fine and was slowly driving himself up the wall.

"If you are really sick, you shouldn't go on a mission, Naruto." His tone was soft enough to be considered comforting, but both knew Kakashi was not one to take foolish risks. Naruto tensed and approached warily, a nervous smile curving his lush lips.

"Not you too! Come on, you are not one to worry about that. I am fine! I swear! I just…" he held his breath waiting for the magic words to come and deliver him from this whole mess. Deafening silence met his ears as minutes sped by, waiting. When Naruto finally realized none were forthcoming, he expelled his breath noisily.

"Ok. So, I am not completely fine, I know. Still… I want to go on this mission. This time it's really important, Kakashi! You heard her! I swear I won't be a liability for you! Why can't those check ups wait for my return?" he pouted with a frown, crossing his arms.

"Maybe it's because we are worried about your well-being now! We need to know we're not risking you by letting you go on this mission." Kakashi replied, seriousness taking over the vacuous grin he'd sported until now. "Naruto, there's more people concerned about you than you realize. Even if you don't give a damn about yourself, you owe them to take care of yourself."

'Iruka, where are you when I need you? I'm no good at this.' He thought helplessly, watching confusion and pride war over his ex student's face. A dubious gleam filled Naruto's eyes.

"Are you sure this is what others feel and not a perverted attempt at my virtue?" he asked coyly. Kakashi chuckled.

"No way! I mean, you've matured nicely and all but just thinking about doing you chills me to the very core. Not because I despise you or anything, but having Iruka and Sasuke breathing down my neck is not a happy thought." He ended ruefully while Naruto sputtered. Turning on his tail, he gestured wildly and ran towards the kitchen.

'Hatake 2, Naruto 0. Home run!' he grinned evilly under his mask. These were the times when wearing a half mask came in really handy. He loved to tease this blonde gaki so much! But now was not the time to tease. Following the blonde, he found him going about preparing his breakfast.

"Go away, you perverted nin! I'm not talking to you anymore, you hear?" The flustered blonde was busy filling a pot with tap water.

Muttering under his breath, he cut the water supply and slapped the half-full recipient on the stove, water sloshing over. His jerky motions and cutting words were only acknowledged by a lazy lift of a curved brow as Kakashi leaned against the wall.

Livid, Naruto stretched a bit over the stovetop, snatching the matches sitting on the shelf with nerveless hands. The half-open box fell to the floor with a resounding thwack, sending matches every which way.

"Stupid box, damn it! Now the damned matches're strewn all over the stupid floor." Cursing under his breath, he quickly swooped down to retrieve it. Straightening up, the matches once again left his hands as his body slumped forward in a dead faint. It was only due to Kakashi's reflexes that allowed him to capture the blond before his nose hit the hardwood floor.

"Naruto! Naruto!" He called anxiously, shaking the man in his arms urgently; the paleness of his student mirroring his own. Dazed blue eyes blinked in confusion as a tanned hand grabbed hold of his twirling head.

"Kashi-sen..sei?" he whispered softly, his warm breath fanning over Kakashi's skin, causing goosebumps to break over his skin.

'Now is not the time, pervert! Stop that!' Kakashi scolded himself viciously tamping down his body's reaction as he guided the weak blonde into a nearby chair.

"Is everything ok? Is this what Sasuke meant when he said you're not completely well? Naruto, you can't go on a mission like this! I'm sorry, but I must talk immediately to Tsunade and tell her you're not able to go on this mission!" Kakashi straightened after making sure Naruto was not going to faint anytime soon. He went to the kitchen and brought him a cold glass of milk and waited until he drank it all before turning around to leave. A tanned hand snaked around his wrist and suddenly he was flat on his back, facing the ceiling.

'What the hell?' his eye widened, trying to understand what had happened. The blond man was straddling his chest, pushing bony knees and fingers into pressure points that rendered his arms and legs useless.

"Naruto?" he faltered, wary of the sudden attack.

"You are not going anywhere! You are not telling anybody anything! Stop this nonsense at once, Hatake-san!" flashing red eyes loomed over him as Naruto held him pinned to the floor with just one hand as the other rummaged for hidden weapons.

"What you just saw has many explanations. For starters, yesterday's meeting was extremely unsettling for me. I haven't slept well in ages; I was tired last night and slept in a very uncomfortable position. Probably, the fact you were picking on me so early in the morning plus the sudden forward movement made me dizzy for a moment! That could happen to anybody, not just me! Maybe I have low blood pressure and nobody's ever realized… that would be a reason for the dizziness and stuff. Don't just go dishing out stupid nonsense to Tsunade-baba!" he barked savagely into his face, foaming spittle falling everywhere.

"Fine…" Kakashi nodded hesitantly, knowing Naruto's unstable emotions were responsible for this outburst. He would die a painful death before admitting that at times like this, Naruto scared him. Flaming, half-closed eyes studied him closely, deciding for themselves if Kakashi was lying or not. Nodding, he stood up and let him go. The Jounin massaged feeling into his numb limbs as he watched his ex-student and Konoha's most powerful nin pace the kitchen like a caged beast.

"You may not understand this, Kakashi. You may not agree. I don't care. I am going in that mission if it kills me, even if I have to go against both you and Tsunade to accomplish my mission. You can even send a complete ANBU squad after me and still I won't be deterred. Understand? Konoha needs me, Kakashi. Me! Uzumaki Naruto: the Jinchuuriki, the cursed child nobody wanted, the lonely kid everybody spurned, the dobe genin nobody thought would amount to much with his poor chakra control, the mediocre student you ignored for the genius, sensei. They want me, Kakashi and not even Kami itself will be able to stop me from going!" his fists curled tightly, the pain of his clawed fingernails helping to clear his head.

'Damn it!' Kakashi closed his eyes with regret, utterly ashamed of his choices so many years ago. 'If I'd known, If only I had known…'

"Naruto… let me explain… It's not that you were…" he started with a painful breath.

"Save it for the birds or those who still care, sensei. I stopped thinking about it ages ago. It doesn't matter anyway, ne? As it is, I am powerful enough on my own. What I am is a direct result of my effort, born from my sweat, blood and tears." He smiled without rancor, flexing his arms. "The best part? I don't owe you, or Kyuubi, or Yondaime or anybody else for it." He shrugged lightly, turning around to face his worn kitchen table. Leaning heavily against it, he waited for the verdict that would surely damn his soul to all hell. For he was not staying even if threatened with prison. With a resigned sigh, he stared out of the window watching the blue skies outside.

"Most of you will never understand this side of me: you'd have to be reborn as a Jinchuuriki. I didn't ask to be made into one. That was fate. I didn't ask to be cursed and punished for the things the demon hosted inside me did. That was human nature. I didn't expect to be needed by those who despise me. That's karma. Weird sort of justice, don't you think? Being forced to request help from the one you hate must be truly painful but I can't turn a deaf ear on this village. I could return what they've given me and nobody would blame me, but that would go against my nature. I've been called a monster most of my life but if I turn against Konoha, I will truly become one. I promised myself to help those in need, regardless. That is my nindo, Kakashi." He looked over his shoulder with a sardonic smile on his lips. Kakashi shivered at the coldness reflected in that gesture but thankfully there was no hate either.

'Naruto, I never thought… I never knew…' Kakashi stared incredulously at the wealth of feeling Konoha provoked in Naruto. This was the real reason behind his emotional instability. 'It's always us, damn it!'

"I will not ask for forgiveness. This is not the time to do so. I will only beg, on my knees if necessary, don't keep me from going, Kakashi." He murmured, his bloody nails scoring the wood as he waited tensely.

Kakashi sighed, closing his eyes. He wondered what would be the best course of action. Every time he thought how far he'd gotten without his help he was overwhelmed with equal amounts of awe and remorse. It was the blonde's stubbornly dedicated personality what'd gained him powerful allies not his rather inefficient intervention. All teachers and benefactors were Top Ninjas but it was in no way related to his effort as a teacher that Naruto's full potential was attained. He was guilty of both underestimating and restricting Naruto's latent abilities and he knew it. He was worried about his wellbeing, but it seemed Naruto himself was not. Still, it would be bad judgment on his part if he didn't stop the blonde from going on this mission. As a leader it was his responsibility to vouch for each man under him.

'It's the right thing to do and nobody would blame me. Naruto is obviously unwell and a mission of this magnitude could spell death for him if we encounter enemies along the way. Still, stopping him when he is so close to attaining his life-long goal of gaining Konohagakure's recognition would be outright cruel. Damned if you do and damned if you don't, Kakashi. Think! I could order him to stay but then I'd have to deal with the consequences of a dead or seriously wounded and fugitive Naruto hot on our trail or take him with us and risk his death at the hands of our enemies if we're attacked. I could always throw him in jail until we come back… but that would mean having the Uchiha, Iruka, Nara, Sabaku and Hyuuga just to mention a few, breathing down my neck. What would Iruka do?' He bit his lip, thinking hard on his options. After a while he nodded, reaching a satisfying conclusion deep inside his heart.

"Heed my words, Naruto. You must swear to me on your nindo… no, better yet. You must give me your word as future Rokudaime that you will obey my every command without hesitation." He began and immediately confirmed the rightness of his choice when the blonde tensed and nodded, his shaking shoulders preceding twin droplets of water plinking on the table under his hands.

"You may be strong enough to overpower me now but the moment you are tired or dizzy you must give me a signal to stop. You must not push yourself and above all, you will not engage in conflict at any time or you will return to Konoha summarily. Also, any other sign that your illness is worsening will have you hauling your ass back home for a check up with Sasuke in tow. Do we have a deal?" he asked with a wide smile. Cocking his head, he studied the tense lines of the blonde's posture through half-closed lids. An older image superimposed itself over Naruto's silhouette, startling him in its accuracy. A lone eye widened incredulously as his breath escaped his lungs.

'Gods! Why didn't I see it before?' he asked himself softly as understanding clicked inside his brain. His heart beat madly against his ribs, willing to believe the unbelievable. Taking a deep calming breath, he shifted in his feet.

'There's still time for that Kakashi. Relax.' Knowing the blonde had still not processed he was being given a chance to go. His lips twisted wryly inside his mask. Another nod and he cleared his throat.

"I'd better get going then. Pack your stuff and see Tsunade at 3:50pm on the dot. She never specified the time and we leave at 4pm." He stated lightly. Naruto's head twisted as his heart beat madly inside his chest. It was impossible! Kakashi was giving him a chance to go!

'He's letting me go? All right!' he screamed inside his head holding onto the table to control the rush of adrenaline that swamped his already overwhelmed senses. His arms trembled where they held onto the table and he let his head fall forward with relief. He was allowed to go.

"Oh, and Naruto?" The white-haired Jounin drawled lightly, "Make sure to include healthy rations, vitamins and whatnot. You may say you feel fine but you are still too thin. We have to get some meat on those bones to calm Sasuke's fears, ok?" he grinned impudently, making sure to be as far as possible from the impulsive blonde.

Once he stood on the living room, he turned to call the blonde's attention.

"By the way, here is my first order." The silent blonde straightened and turned slightly with a confused frown on his face; a myriad questions pooling in his blue eyes yet willing to do as ordered. He nodded happily.

"Uzumaki Naruto, I am officially ordering you to make sure to give Uchiha Sasuke a good, hard fuck before we leave. I don't want to deal with a grumpy, tense Uchiha on the way to Marsh and what better way to relax than sex? I'm warning you! I'd better see a smirk on his face and a dark blush in yours by the time we leave this afternoon, ok? Icha! Icha! Naruto-kun and don't scare the birds." he teased with a lewd waggle of his eyebrows. Stunned comprehension dawned on sapphire orbs halfway through Kakashi's monologue.

"I'm gonna kill you, Kakashi!" he roared, charging with murderous intent. Too late did he see Kakashi finish performing the familiar hand signs necessary for teleportation and he screamed with frustrated rage.

"Kakashi 3, Uzumaki 0. It's a hit!" he taunted, vanishing into thin air. With an impotent growl, Naruto watched his arms close around the empty space recently vacated by his sensei. Catching his stumbling feet before he keeled head over heels, he cursed fluently as he turned to continue packing.

* * *

At the same time on the Uchiha side of the city, dust motes danced slowly around beams of light inside the house as the last Uchiha worked. The sharp metallic clang of weapons thrown together rose in the air. A tired looking man gave the leather tong of his pack a hard yank.

'There, I'm finally done. Now, it's time for some tea.' His hand patted the heavy pack, and he straightened once more thinking of his lover. Unable to sleep, he'd left their futon at dawn to start packing. It was either leave to pack or stay to brood.

Now, many hours later, he surveyed his handiwork with pride before moving towards the kitchen to wait for the water he'd set to boil 15 min. earlier. He'd packed enough to tide him over until they reached Marsh Country, going so far as to include little snacks for his dobe to nibble on if they ever made up.

'Even if we don't, these are for him. I'll have Kakashi deliver them if necessary and he proves to be as stubborn as I know him to be.' The teapot's high pitched whistle interrupted his dark musings. With a deep sigh, he removed the screaming teapot from the stove using one of his Uchiha-bearing towels that Naruto had so teased him about and set it on the counter. Scooping his favorite blend of shredded tea leaves inside the small-wire cage; he dunked it inside the boiling water and let it steep. The domesticity of the image disturbed him somehow, something was missing.

'You mean, somebody is missing, you imbecile.' He frowned at the scathing retort, wondering if he'd been wrong to try and stop Naruto from going on their mission. Shaking his head, he reminded himself of the reasons why he was against it in the first place. Setting his cup aside, he searched for the sugar cubes while he waited. He liked his tea like he did his men: strong and sweet with a dash of spice. An image of his dobe as he was last night flashed before his eyes.

'It's not like you are doing it out of spite, idiot! You are a controlling bastard, true. Then again, Uchiha's are an extremely possessive lot. It could have been worse… Remember the old wives tales about the male Uchiha's overbearing protectiveness when their mate is with child? Thank God Naruto's male!' He chuckled, rejoicing in the memory of his lover's tight abs and buns. His body hardened in response.

Sasuke frowned, pouring his tea carefully and stirring in the sugar. The cubes dissolved easily in the revolving heat as he pondered his options. He knew he would not get the time for these things in a long time if at all.

Missions like this usually meant little or no sleep, a grueling pace and Spartan commodities. He would count himself lucky if they got access to fresh drinking water once or twice before reaching Marsh Country. Sasuke finished his tea and delivered his empty cup back into the sink, his mood darkening by the second as he washed his dishes.

Not having Naruto around had certain valuable perks like silence and tidiness but it definitively wasn't worth the pain it caused him. His body missed him, his mind missed him, damn it! Even his house missed his lighthearted bantering. He cursed under his breath.

'How the hell am I gonna be able to perform effectively on this mission if just thinking about Naruto makes me this hard, huh? Whose was the marvelous idea to piss off the blonde? Damn it, Uchiha! Your brilliant plan just left us without a lover at the beginning of a long mission. I hope you are happy with the outcome.' He spat, stepping down the hallway.

On the way to his hot bath, he detoured into what he had dubbed 'their' room where he had nursed Naruto back to health and where their relationship had officially started. Avoiding the empty futon, he picked up his bath necessities before continuing on his way. The morning sun was high enough to melt the morning frost but it did nothing to take the chill off the air. He shivered, thinking of the big warm bath waiting for him.

'If only Naruto were here. I heated enough water for both of us, hoping to make up today. It figures he would play hard to get.' He slid the door open and steam rose in sheets from the room. He closed his eyes, relishing the steamy heat after the cold morning air. Stepping inside the Uchiha's communal bath, he closed the door quickly. It would not do to lose precious heat thinking of his missing lover. This time he was not going to beg.

'If he can't understand my worry, then he is welcome to sulk all he wants.' His worried expression belied the fierceness of his words. A firm tug on his obi allowed his yukata to part, exposing his pale skin to the humid air. Wrapping a towel around a thin waist for modesty's sake, he proceeded to wash his body thoroughly. It would have to tie him over until he was able to cleanse himself again. Uchiha's were also very fastidious about their personal hygiene.

'This makes it an even greater wonder that you managed to fall in love with Naruto 'Big Mess' Uzumaki, Uchiha.' He thought with a light chuckle. He closed his eyes, thinking of the last time he'd seen Naruto naked. He moaned softly, thinking on the way the cold water caressed his lover's body. He'd gone to the well house to draw water for the big bath when he'd stumbled on his lover taking a bath last night. There was something innocently erotic on the way his dobe cleansed his body.

'I was really looking forward to taking a bath with my dobe after last night's teaser. Shame…' he sighed again. Eyeing his raging erection with dubious eyes, he soaped his hand purposefully.

"Naruto is not here and I don't think he will be coming anywhere near me anytime soon, so let's deal with this problem now." He counseled himself logically. Still his hands rested on his thigh unwilling to do his bidding. "Oh, come on, Uchiha! It's not like you were a virgin before Naruto. This isn't your first time!"

"And here I thought I was your first… There goes a dream!" a familiarly light voice drawled behind him and he whirled, crouching into a combat stance. "If it wasn't for my legendary healing abilities, I'd have been shattered by such news! The Uchiha's not a virgin!"

"Naruto!" threatened as red circling eyes activated immediately, searching for the familiar chakra that was somehow masked by the steam surrounding him. His instincts told him it was his lover, but one could never be too sure given the situation at hand. "Show yourself!" he barked an order that brooked no arguments.

"Tsk, tsk… always so bossy! Tell me, Teme… is that part of the job description for an Uchiha?" he asked lazily. "And pray tell, what were you intending with that crouch? I can see the only pointy thing you have on you is not made out of iron. You pervert!" a chuckle teased his awareness and he whirled, searching.

"Dobe!" he warned and warm hands wrapped themselves around his chest from behind. A silent gasp escaped his lips as his senses registered the familiar chakra of Naruto stuck behind him. That and the fact his lover was as naked as he. Turning around, he growled. "Usuratonkatchi!"

"I know, I missed you too… but I had to do some packing, you know." Naruto teased with a lusty chuckle.

"What do you think you are doing?" Sasuke grounded around his mashed teeth. It would not do to show his lover any weakness until their problem was solved.

"Making love, what else? Now, shall we?" he asked officiously while his fingers divested him of his only covering.

"Naruto!" Sasuke squeaked, while his hands rose to still the roaming hands that quickly charted his body. Blushing with annoyance as he realized he was acting like a schoolgirl instead of the seasoned nin he knew himself to be, he struggled to free himself.

"Gods! Is it too much to request a good fuck without having to go over the whole thing right now?" Naruto asked testily, wrapping his fingers around Sasuke's heated erection. The Uchiha tightened his eyes, hissing with need. His lover's talented fingers danced mercilessly over already inflamed nerves.

"Naruto… we… must… talk…" gathering the last shreds of his control together, the Uchiha insisted stubbornly. They had to talk about this before they left for the mission. It was too important to let something like sex and desire win him over.

"You want your pound of flesh, ne? Fine, how about this? Yes, Sasuke, I want a piece of this here to calm my edginess. I am scared of failing the mission. Yes, koi you hurt me with your words. Even though I know you did it because you were worried I felt betrayed. Kakashi came to visit saying Tsunade wanted to see me later today. Never fear, Teme. Kakashi ordered me to be late. We have a deal, you see. He knows I'm not completely recovered but I'm still going because I'm needed. I've to obey him at all times no questions asked and eat like a horse. Does that cover it?" he asked pointedly, flexing his fingers around his lover's cock.

"No, I mean…" Sasuke tried to turn to look into his lover's sapphire eyes. Steely hands tightened around him.

"Too bad. I want you. Now." He whispered heatedly against the delicate earlobe, his warm lips brushing teasingly against the raven's sensitive flesh. It was all he could do to repress the shudder of need that stole down his spine.

* * *

The cut comes after this... the next chapter will be a continuation of this lemon and the hokage trap before they leave... so then... see ya!!!


	11. Chapter 10: Congratulations, Mommy Dear!

I am sorry for the time it took me to post this. bows As penitence I brought you an extra long chapter... The cat is out of the bag as many requested... only the bag doesn't know... LOL... Please enjoy... and remember... I will keep on trying to bring quick updates... ok? Thanks and have fun!

**_edited 12/26/07_**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Congratulations, Mommy Dearest!**

Tan fingers fumbled over stubborn pant legs as mortified azure eyes deliberately avoided knowing onyx. The blonde hopped around, standing stubbornly while pulling on his pants until finally he was able to pull them on with a triumphant cackle. A light chuckle assaulted his ears, provoking whiskered cheeks to turn beet red. With a pout, he turned around and presented his back to the other occupant inside the room.

"Teme!" he spat halfheartedly, lifting the soft black shirt that protected his skin from the harsh protection of the wire mesh. His arms and head entered easy enough inside the shirt but it was a bit tight across the stomach. When it was time to put on the wire mesh it got stuck. Frowning, he glared at the offending item as if doing so would get the unusually snug mesh past his slightly bulging belly.

'There's no friggin' way I'm gettin' fat! I'm not eating enough to keep me healthy, let alone get fat! I have free daily chats with the toilet for cryin' out loud!' he growled and gave it an extra hard tug that resolved his problem, at least temporarily.

'I should let some inches outta' this, it seems. My chest appears to be growing too… Maybe I finally reached long awaited growth spurt... Yup! That's it! My growing spurt!' He nodded, happy with the conclusion.

A poised raven sat on the bed lazily tying his sandals; feigning indifference as he studied his lover's movements with keen interest. To an avid observer, Naruto's relaxed stance told of a well-loved and utterly sated body, provoking a satisfied smirk to cross Sasuke's pale features. His charcoal gaze took mental inventory of his lover's body, realizing with a frown he was slowly filling out even if he didn't seem to be eating enough for that. He eyed his lover's narrow waist and hips which were wider than he remembered while the blonde's arms and shoulders were filling out with muscle once again.

His mouth watered, remembering the afternoon's games in the bathroom. He'd been stunned when he realized Naruto's apparent shyness and self-consciousness was real. The most surprising fact was Naruto's embarrassment with regards to his body. It wasn't until he'd practically pinned his struggling lover into the ground using his chakra that Naruto gave in and practically yelled out the reason. He flinched, thinking of his lover's mortified tears as he explained his 'deformity' as he called it. Naruto explained that he'd only realized its presence a few weeks back after a particularly strong bout of loving that left him feeling sore 'there'.

Watching his dobe wriggle and jiggle while messing around with his clothes was enough to provoke his ever increasing libido. The way he was moving around made him feel his dobe was tempting him and he was not one to refuse temptations like the one he posed just then.

Unable to keep himself away, he stood and crossed the room with long strides to gather his blonde bundle of fire against his tight body. A surprised squeak left Naruto's lips as pale arms wrapped around his waist, working the tapes under his arms to make it less constricting. He gave a sigh of relief as the pressure let up but soon changed his mind as strong arms pulled his hips closer to his lover's need. He closed his eyes, biting his lip to still the moan of pleasure that threatened to escape him as warm lips nibbled his neck.

"It's time to go, Teme." Naruto groaned throatily, blushing to the roots of his golden hair as he leaned forward; not really attempting to escape.

Naruto's slight resistance fanned the fires of his possessiveness to unimaginable heights. The beast inside him clamored to teach his lover about priorities and the errors of resistance. With a warm, deep chuckle that sent erotic shivers coursing through Naruto's body, he allowed one hand to slide under black shirt and mesh wire while another traveled south to knead his lover's aching flesh.

"You should know already. There's always time for this, dobe." He whispered latching onto a tender lobe as Naruto's body arched under the skillful assault of his mouth. The blonde's deepening indigo gaze and his flushed expression were all Sasuke needed to reassure his inner self.

"Sas'ke!" his blonde huffed with excitement, melting against his body as his resistance was temporarily forgotten.

"Fuck them, they can wait. I can't and I won't." He muttered as he undid their pants quickly, removing only the essentials. What he had in mind would not take a lot of time, but it would help them both relax even more.

"Sas'ke, we're la…te!" Naruto tried to remember what was so important about being early as his lover pushed him against the bedside, pushing his pants down to his ankles and spreading his cheeks wide. The cold air made him shiver and he hissed, feeling Sasuke's heated flesh probe around.

"What were you saying?" Sasuke asked with a suppressed smile, knowing his lover was past all thinking as was he.

**Wild Monkey love, sorry guys... you know the rules... **

Impatiently, he shook his hips to get his lover to move without yielding another piece of his ego. Sasuke chortled seeing this and set a pace that would take them to oblivion in the shortest amount of time possible. They had waited enough. His blond keened sharply, arms and legs wrapped around his raven's neck and waist as they soared as one over the Uchiha complex.

Half an hour later they were finally progressing in their efforts to get dressed. Naruto had decreed he would dress in a separate room because he would not stand for another 'delay'. Sasuke chuckled and let it slide, knowing well that if he insisted his dobe would allow as many 'delays' as he wanted.

It was a miracle he'd been able to go for this latest bout of lovemaking. His dobe had been surprisingly passionate both during their bath that morning and then later in the afternoon. His inner muscles were pleasantly sore still; it was surprising to find his first time as an 'uke' to be extremely pleasurable instead of painful. His heart fluttered, remembering how well his lover had prepared him for it using his mouth and fingers to stretch him. It was a true feat and it showed the extent of his lover's caring and his own love. He had not only allowed his dobe to top him but he'd enjoyed it too.

'Only for you, Naruto. Only for you.' He wondered happily, his half-hard cock evident proof of his thoughts' direction.

His blonde chose that moment to enter the room adjusting the side pack to his waist. Lifting his gaze, he noticed with chagrin the growing bulge in his lover's pants. Blonde eyebrows rose silently, signaling surprise and approval.

"What's the meaning of this, Sas'ke? It seems my efforts to satisfy you were not enough to do the trick. Shall we try once more? Who knows, maybe if you were to bottom for me again you would be completely sated this time?" he purred lazily, sliding on his flack jacket with a provocative twist of his hips as he approached his dobe where he stood near his clothes' chest.

"So much energy! Is this the man that only half an hour ago slumbered trustingly between my arms after his climax? If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were completely recovered!" Midnight eyes teased gently taking hold of his lover's hips to bring them closer to his aching desire.

Blushing, Naruto bit back a moan and ground his groin against the heated flesh with a malicious grin, making the sable-haired man before him hiss with half-closed eyes.

"You are a good one to talk about stamina. How do you feel back there, huh? Ready to give it another go?" crystalline blue eyes filled with naughtiness as he patted his avenger's buttocks with a heated glance.

"Tease! Keep it up and you'll find yourself once again staring at the ceiling while I push inside your body." He whispered erotically against a sensitive ear, his hand moving to palm the blonde's crotch. Grinning impudently, the blonde danced away, knowing their limits and the Hokage's patience should be wearing thin just about now.

"Hentai! Last time I checked, you were completely sated! The last one was completely unnecessary. Stop it…" he groaned softly, half turning to capture those torturing lips with his own.

"Oh, but that was a whole half hour ago. I find myself suddenly itching to try my hand at making your body weep again. I've discovered I am quite partial to your uncommon attributes, minx!" He grinned, giving his package another slight squeeze. Unable to stop himself he surrounded the smaller nin, bringing him flush against his chest. Hugging him tightly, he nibbled on the exposed neck while his lover shivered with anticipation.

"Pervert!" Naruto whispered with a blush before pulling his beloved down for a soul stirring kiss that left them both breathless and needy.

"Sas'ke… We've gotta go… Tsunade and Kakashi're waiting, ne?" he whispered against his lover's lips, trying to make him see reason while fighting his own need. It was unbelievable. The more they made love, the more he wanted him.

"I'm a pervert only for you, Dobe. Remember, I…" Sasuke's words died in his throat as his eyes made contact with Naruto's. With a defeated sigh, Sasuke finally let go of his lover. He knew he was stalling to avoid their departure but it was a mission they had all accepted and it would not go away just because he wanted to keep his lover safe.

"Teme… come on! Everything will be fine, I promise!" Clear blue stared earnestly into coal black eyes before wrapping his arms around his lover and dropping little kisses all over his porcelain face.

"Dobe, Tsunade's waiting." The raven warned softly against petal soft lips, his arms surrounding the slight, tan body. His mind was still reeling from the impact of their lovemaking. His soul stirred inside his chest, warning him that this man before him was his most precious person. Even if he never revived his clan, even if he died the last of his bloodline, it was unimportant. He would do anything to keep his blonde safe and by his side. His arms tightened reflexively as his thoughts turned darker.

"Oi! You say Tsunade's waiting but you still haven't let go!" the blond teased lightly, heart soaring with happiness at the obvious possessiveness. He nuzzled his face against his lover's flack jacket, relishing the scent and warmth that surrounded him between Sasuke's arms.

"Dun'twanna" He grumbled rebelliously against golden hair, burying his nose to breathe deeply Naruto scent, tightening his arms. Naruto's heart went out to his lover as understanding dawned on him.

"Come on, Teme! I'm not going anywhere! There're too many things to be done! Either you or I will become Hokage and there's the Akatsuki's ass to be kicked into submission, remember? Not even death will tear me away from you until you get done with me… ok?" he promised pushing his forehead against his lover's until their noses touched and they made eye contact.

"Now, I gotta go see Tsunade to calm her nerves before she pulls the plug on my mission, ok? Remember to wait for me at the gate, ne? I must meet Tsunade, so I must leave early… I am sorry, but… Anyway, see you at the gate, ne? Oh, and thank you for one of the most wonderful days of my life." he grinned, standing on tiptoe to drop a light kiss on stained cheeks. Sasuke pouted but nodded, looking away.

"Hurry off, Dobe. You are too slow." He grumbled softly.

"I would love to hurry but if you don't let me go, I won't be getting anywhere, Teme." He teased his flustered lover who let him go abruptly as if burnt.

Quiet giggles filled Sasuke's ears as Naruto finished zipping his flack jacket and securing his back pouch before paused on the doorway to hoist his pack.

Leaning forward, he tugged on the leather straps, belly muscles tight and ready to bear the expected weight of the overstuffed pack. To his surprise, he almost fell on his ass when the thing flew towards him with astonishing ease. Confusion marred his features as he settled its weight over his back, surprised at how light it seemed.

'Huh?' he turned to look at Sasuke with a suspicious glare but his lover was busy feigning innocence as he too shouldered his own pack. Sighing in defeat, he stepped back to his lover, pulled him down to his level. Obsidian eyebrows rose with curiosity as the blonde glared holes into him.

"Uchiha, Sasuke… The Pack… You… Jeez!" He let go of the reprimand he felt brimming inside his gut and with rare insight recognized this as his beloved's effort to keep him safe.

Sasuke flinched a bit, expecting fireworks. Instead, his golden lover grinned softly and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Teme. Thank you!" Stepping back he smiled and performed the hand signals that would teleport him out of the house. Standing in the middle of the living room, the baffled raven shifted and smiled self-consciously.

"I'll be damned! At least he wasn't too angry… Gotta practice stealth if I want to protect him and his pride!" he made his way out of the Uchiha district with a satisfied grin, thinking of how much pride Naruto had given up for his sake.

* * *

Meanwhile, a black and orange blur raced over the rooftops towards the tower. He'd chosen a midpoint between the tower and the Uchiha district. It would not do to exhaust his meager chakra reserves with a transportation jutsu if he could help it.

'Gods! I gotta get there on time! Tsunade's gonna kill me! Stupid Teme! Distracting me with his kisses…' he growled under his breath as he hurried up the stairs and into the tower's top floor. Pausing to gather his wits and his breath, he stared at the closed door with trepidation.

'Please! If there is somebody out there who watches over me, hear me out! Please let me go in this mission! I need to go on this mission if it's the last thing I do! Please!' he begged silently, approaching the door. Straightening his back, he marshaled his resolve and knocked firmly. A distracted voice granted him permission inside.

"You took your own sweet time getting here, gaki. I expect you will have a suitable excuse ready." Tsunade stared from her desk at her dearest shinobi with a malicious smile. Naruto had the grace to blush and gulp.

"You see… I had to pack and went home and then Kakashi… um then Sasuke… I mean, the pack… um…" he flailed miserably. Suddenly there was light in his brain as the menacing aura around Tsunade worsened. "and… and… Kakashi-sensei never told me to be here at a fixed hour! I packed everything, tied loose ends and came here directly." He answered truthfully, thinking back on his day.

"Whatever. Come on, let's check you out to see if the Uchiha's being a worrywart or you are being a fool." She muttered and wavered slightly as she stood. As the afternoon progressed and Naruto failed to show up for his check up, her mood darkened considerably. Seeing this, her wise assistant Shizune approached her discreetly and offered her a cup of her favorite beverage: sake. Her mood had improved a lot after dosing herself with half a bottle of her precious drink.

'She is drunk?' he wondered with glee, thanking his lucky stars. 'This is gonna be easier than I thought! Kyuubi! Kyuubi! I need your help! Kyuubi!' he closed his eyes dipping inside his mind for the familiar touch that had been missing for the last two months. A flicker of awareness followed by nervousness and a sudden withdrawal illustrated Kyuubi's most recent contacts. He frowned wondering why and what was fur-faced fox hiding from him.

'Oi! You better not ignore me this time! Kyuubi!! Damn it!' Silence. A painful knock in his head told him he'd ignored his tipsy Hokage for far too long.

"I said lay on the examination table, open your flack jacket, lift your mesh, keep the shirt and stay still, Naruto!" she hissed angrily. Filled with dread, he sat on the table, his nerveless hands fiddling with his flack jacket while he racked his brain looking for a way out.

'Kakashi! Kyuubi! Anybody! Help!' his mind reeled with the implications of Tsunade's check-up. He knew he was not fine; denial could only get him so far. There was something really screwed up with him, he was sure but this was the screwiest time to find out what was wrong.

Obediently, he took off his jacket and lifted his mesh. In doing so, he exposed half his activated seal that now was prominently etched on his skin. Using his reserves was the only way to operate at a normal level. That was another signal that not everything was peachy in Kyuubi-land; that and the eerie silences that were driving him off the wall. Tsunade frowned noticing its presence.

"I haven't ordered you to use your chakra yet, gaki. Tch, hyperactive kid!" She rolled her eyes and pushed him to lie on his back. "Now, stop using your chakra will you?" she requested softly and he acquiesced, fighting the roiling nausea that rose to his throat as soon as he did. She started to check his vitals: pulse, heartbeat, temperature, blood pressure, and chakra flow, making him shiver with apprehension. He was sweating profusely as it was, but apparently her findings were normal enough not to start her screaming at him just yet.

'Kakashi where are you?' he thought desperately.

"Ok, now, take off your mesh and shirt, open your pants and expose your lower belly. I need to check your chest and the seal. Have you been having problems with your chakra flow recently?" She asked distractedly, her hands glowing green as they went over his pale form.

'Other than the fact that it's nonexistent?' he wondered almost hysterically, eyeing her glowing-green hands start with his neck and chest before slowly moving on towards his belly. His heart skipped a beat and attempted to hammer its way out of his chest as he suddenly had the urge to flee. He tensed, closing his eyes. Tsunade paused noticing the sudden peak in her patient's blood pressure.

"Naruto?" she asked stopping for a second her examination.

"Naruto! I thought you would be done about now. We have to go!" Kakashi appeared out of nowhere scaring the hell out of Tsunade and Naruto, who sat up ready to attack. Once he realized who it was, he sagged against the pillows, dizzy with relief.

"Damn it, Kakashi!" Hokage screeched, turning around and forgetting about her patient.

"Gomen! I thought this was already over, Hokage-sama. We must depart at 4pm or we will be behind schedule." He reminded her with utmost respect and seriousness. Tsunade alarms blared inside her brain.

"I'm not finished here yet, Kakashi." She countered. There was something weird going on here. Naruto's vitals were completely normal but his chakra flow was not. Just now his blood pressure peaked suspiciously and his response was too sluggish.

"Are his vitals abnormal?" he asked tensely in an effort to distract her when he noticed Naruto's pale and clammy countenance.

His vitals were fine, just a bit higher than usual. His temperature was ok too, if on the low side. Same with his blood pressure, heart rate and pulmonary function. It all could be summed up as somebody on his way to complete recovery after a life threatening trauma as his. Tsunade shook her head with a frown as she checked her notes.

'I shouldn't have drunk so much sake. There's something wrong with this picture but for the life of me I can't figure what it could be!' She thought with annoyance. Still, there was something teasing the edge of her mind but she was not sure what. Still there was no medical reason to stop Naruto from leaving with the rest of his team.

"Here's an idea, Hokage-sama. Since you don't seem to be able to pinpoint where the problem lays and we are pressed for time, let's take a blood sample and run some tests. If his vitals are as fine as they seem to be, it should just confirm your diagnostic. If not, you can always send medicines and instructions with Tanuki, right? It shouldn't be too complicated." Kakashi bargained wisely, his visible eye a comical curve as he discreetly signaled Naruto to straighten his clothes and leave the table.

"Ok. I think that would be the best course to follow. Hey! Naruto! When did you… I still have to take that blood sample!" she said and much to Naruto's chagrin started to prepare the test tubes. "Come on, gaki. Lift up your sleeve to expose your elbow. Hurry up so you can leave." She instructed, herding him towards the table and preparing his arm to take the sample.

Kakashi opened his mouth to protest about the time and Tsunade straightened, raising an eyebrow.

"Either I get a blood sample or Team Kitsune stays until I see fit! After all, I am the Hokage." she reminded Kakashi with a pleasant smile. Naruto's gaze went from one to the other, wondering who won this particular bout. It was scary to watch two powerful Nin butt heads over his welfare.

Naruto's arm shook while she cleaned the spot with a cotton swab and plunged the needle to get the blood on the test tube. He watched in captive fascination as the rich dark red liquid left his veins with every heartbeat. The red froth accumulated and he started to feel faint, so he closed his eyes and counted frogs.

'Thank God Sasuke's not here! Otherwise, I would've definitely ended up staying!' he shivered as Tsunade took off the needle, pressed some gauze into his arm and bent his elbow.

"There. The results will be ready by tomorrow morning. I run a complete metabolic panel and some other tests on this sample. I will be sending you a letter with the results and further instructions under Hyuuga's care, Kakashi. Now, you can leave." She dismissed them officially and followed them to the exit.

"Godspeed to both of you. Please return in one piece, gaki ok?" Her hands wrapped unbidden around Naruto's shoulders and she hugged him hard before letting him go. She cleared her throat to call Kakashi's attention to herself. "You know what will happen if…" she let the threat unsaid when she saw understanding and resolve in the jounin's eye as he nodded. "Good."

"Tsunade-baba! Don't worry so much! It's Naruto you are worrying about, you know! I am the #1 surprise ninja! I will succeed! You'll see!" he smiled, scratching his head with embarrassment. Nodding, she bade them goodbye and watched with worried eyes as both disappeared towards Konoha's gate.

"Oh, gaki… The fact that you are our #1 surprise nin. That's precisely what I am so worried about, Naruto. You don't seem to realize how important you are… Onegai, Yondaime, keep him safe." She whispered staring anxiously into the stony features of Konoha's hero. A soft knock interrupted her thoughts and Shizune entered the room.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked softly, setting down the latest missives and documents that needed her boss' review and signature.

"I feel like I am missing something important." She commented distractedly, still deep in thought. Shizune tried to gain her Hokage's attention to no avail. After offering her access to a barrel of vintage sake if she answered her questions on what was wrong, Shizune realized it was possibly a very intimate matter she didn't want to discuss with anybody.

'Maybe she is sick?' She wondered, watching her Hokage hold her head dizzily.

Sighing, she moved away from the window and pressing the bridge of her nose she went to pick up the sample, feeling the press of a massive headache on its way. Eyes closed, she stumbled on her way back to her desk. Sitting heavily, she reclined on her chair.

"Here, take this and have it checked thoroughly before tomorrow. Metabolic panel, Glucose, Thyroids, Blood count and platelets… you know the works. If there's anything at all there I need to know. Um… it's a personal matter, so please handle it with utmost secrecy. Nobody is to know who gave it to you and the report comes directly to me as soon as it's finished. Understood?" She smiled nervously, avoiding eye contact and stared at her hands. Tsunade hated to keep secrets from her assistant but since Naruto was involved she couldn't trust anybody but herself.

Shizune frowned at the instructions but nodded, pocketing the little test tube. She picked up the tray she had brought, the sake bottle was only half consumed.

'Why, Tsunade-sama drinks more than this in two hours! What's wrong with her!' she eyed her master nervously before turning to leave.

"Shizune?" Tsunade called softly and her assistant turned with a worried expression on her face.

"Yes?" she asked wondering what to do if her Hokage was sick.

"I am hungry. Have one of the guards go to Ichikaru's for a bowl of Kitsune Udon with Abura-age and tell them to put fish cakes and carrots on it too. I am craving something different today." She sighed, hugging herself to stave off the cold gathering inside her soul. 'Naruto, please be safe.'

"Man, I thought you were never gonna show up!" Naruto groused as they made their way into the gate. Kakashi lifted an eyebrow, noticing his ex-student's increased energy and stamina. He stopped pulling Naruto to face him.

"You don't have to keep up the façade. Starting now, if you must rest you will rest, understood?" Naruto sputtered but nodded.

"Either you tell us or Sasuke will be in charge of measuring your chakra levels and informing us when you need to rest. It's your call." Naruto opened his mouth to protest but Kakashi's arched brow reminded him of his promise. Grumbling he nodded, accepting this new affront to his manhood.

Satisfied, Kakashi continued his way towards the waiting team. Reaching them, Kakashi debriefed the team noticing with satisfaction their eagerness and dedication to the mission. Naruto jumped in the middle, happy to be among his team mates after so long. Sakura messed up his hair with sisterly affection and Sasuke watched with apparent detachment. When Sakura did not remove her hand from his dobe, he grabbed his arm and pulled him away, effectively removing him from her grasp.

"Oi! Teme! Stop that!" Naruto yelled with typical bluntness.

"We've got a mission to finish, dobe. The earliest we start is the earliest we finish. The earliest we finish is the earliest we return to Konoha which is the earliest I get to…" he drawled impishly. Naruto's face was a work of art as he realized the direction of Sasuke's arguments.

"Arg! I got it, I got it! I'm moving! Come on!" he stammered nervously; using his hands to stem the flow of perversion that was sure to follow. He was still not at ease with the thought of having their relationship out in the open.

'Youth!' Kakashi sniggered. A smile crossed his features as he matched Sasuke's relaxed features and satisfied smirk to the strict realization of his orders to Naruto this morning.

"Oi, Naruto!" he called and the team stopped. "You did a great job on your first mission! Congratulations!" his eye turned into an inverted comma as both Sasuke and Naruto understood the meaning behind his words. Naruto's blush was so bright he looked fevered while on the other side, Sasuke's smirk couldn't get any wider under threat of being considered an all out smile as they made their way out of Konoha's gates.

* * *

Shizune hurried along the tower's corridors, fear and worry etched in her features. She had stopped to give the Hokage's dinner order to one of her guards and hurtled downstairs to find the tower's laboratory. It was the best they had. Even more complete than the one in the hospital's facilities. Barreling down the stairs, she quickly entered the laboratory and went directly to the head technician.

"Tomoe-san!" she startled the man so badly he almost dropped the beaker he held.

"Shizune-san!" he gasped, trying to bring his heartbeat back in control. He looked at the distraught woman in front of him and discreetly vacated the other technicians from the premises. This was obviously an emergency that required careful handling.

"What's wrong? How can I help you?" he asked, noticing the woman expression was so fearful she was almost crying as she struggled to breathe.

"I need you to… run some tests for me… Um… Here… Take this… Please… um… run a complete battery of tests…you must do so now. I can't wait!" she insisted, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. The man eyed the test tube suspiciously. It had no markings, no label, no information. Just an innocent tube filled with blood. He shivered.

"Take it easy, Shizune-san. I will do the tests as soon as possible but be mindful, that some might take a while longer." He tried to reason with the flustered female.

"No! I need them for tomorrow morning at the latest! It's vital that I get those then!" she held him in an iron grip and shook him. He had to understand she needed that yesterday! If he didn't do what she wanted she was gonna sock him one, in like three seconds.

"Ok. But, I will need some information regarding this sample. Do we know if this blood belongs to animal or human, female or male? Any known health conditions? Diagnostics?" he asked trying to sort which kind of tests the woman in front of him wanted.

Shizune bit her lip, thinking of the food she ordered for her Hokage. She knew what he wanted was reasonable. He needed that information to know if the tests were adequate, to know what to look for. She had no idea what her Hokage wanted to know.

'You always state the sex, age and health conditions of the patient… we know those…' an insidious voice reminded her.

'True!' she sighed with relief.

"Female, over 25 years old. No chronic illnesses, not taking medications unless sake counts." Her eyes widened with a gasp as she realized her own words. She had identified her patient! Hokage-sama was going to kill her if she knew. She eyed the technician, wondering if he was truly irreplaceable or not when the man took hold of her shoulders.

"Easy there, Shizune-san. I will keep the confidentiality of the patient. That's my oath. Never fear. I will have the Hokage's results tonight at the latest even if I must do them myself!" he promised solemnly. Shizune nodded and straightened. Tomoe-san turned to finish the tests he was running, leaving the sample to the side. Shizune stiffened.

"Tomoe-san?" she called sweetly. The man stiffened, realizing she had not left the room.

"Yes? Shizune-san?" his voice trembled as he turned to see the forbidding expression of the Hokage's assistant.

"Start now with the sample I gave you." She ordered/

"But, these other tests…" he tried to explain.

"To hell with them. I want my tests done NOW!" she demanded. Pushing her face into the fearful man, she grinned threateningly.

"Tests, now. If you so much as breathe anything about this, you will die a very painful and slow death. Understood?" the man nodded helplessly.

"Good. Get back to work." She said and hovered over him while he started to work.

It was well after midnight when Tsunade finished signing and reviewing all the papers Shizune had brought her in the morning. The headache had decreased after eating the surprisingly good Kitsune Udon as recommended to her by Jiraiya. It definitively did wonders for a hangover headache. She stretched and yawned wondering how fared her blond gaki.

* * *

10 miles away, Naruto struggled to stay awake during his shift. They should have been able to travel farther than this but due to his diminished chakra reserves they were forced to camp at this point. The moment he had tried to push himself over his limits, he had become horribly dizzy. The two vultures watching him with eagle's eyes noticed immediately and called for a stop arguing presumably that Sakura needed to rest. Sakura had protested for all of 2 seconds which was all it took for her to make eye contact with his them: the vultures.

At the end, Kakashi made good on his promise and sicked Sasuke on him. After that, every 2 hours they would stop without fail, regardless of his protests to the contrary. Even now, he had to set his foot down to claim his right to bear his share of the watch. It was not fair. He had to have watch duty just like any other. Even if he was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open. He curled upon himself and shivered, his grainy eyes and heavy eyelids making it harder and harder to keep awake until at last he succumbed to sleep.

"It was time already! I was gonna hit him over the head if he didn't fall asleep soon." A dark shadow groused as he approached his target. White hair glinted in the moonlight as a soft chuckle was heard.

"Can't blame him, can we? After all, he's Konoha's number 1 surprise nin, ne?" the white haired man watched neutrally as the Uchiha avenger lifted his lover carefully and wrapped him in a warm blanket settling him deep between his arms.

"I will continue guard watch now, Kakashi. We will do as planned, dividing guard duty in 3 segments as before, but he won't know about it. Deal?" he raised hard eyes towards his sensei. He would do this regardless of what his sensei thought. Even if he had to guard both Naruto and his own watch, he would not let him overexert himself.

"Naruto… such a proud nin! Yeah, let's do so. I will talk to Sakura when it's time for her watch. Keep a tight eye on him for us, ok? He is very important for a lot of people but I think you already knew that even if he still hasn't realized it yet, ne?" he teased lightly before disappearing. Sasuke hugged his lover closer, letting the night scents and sounds roll over his senses while mixing with the soothing scent that was all Naruto.

* * *

Early dawn tinged the skies with a fiery palette. Pink and golden clouds chased one another over heavenly highways. The cicadas chanted their morning song as the day became warmer. Inside Konoha's tower, a body lay sprawled over a desk-full of papers. Soft snores filled the office as the morning progressed until a mischievous beam of light hit the sleeper squarely on the face. She winced.

"Tur'it 'ff… Tur' it 'ff!" a pained voice whimpered, burrowing deeper into her hard bed, trying to hide from the daylight invasion threatening to vanquish the shadows of her sleep. Her shoulders protested and caught fire as her numb arms came back to life. Tiny pin pricks licked her senses as she fought to straighten up. Moving with painful slowness, she leaned back against her chair, cursing at her own stupidity.

'Sleeping on your desk is always a bad idea, you idiot! It hurts!' she grimaced, massaging her hands, arms and shoulders into a semblance of normalcy.

A polite knock made her jump on her chair and she whimpered. "Come on in!" she grumbled, massaging her shoulder and stiff neck. It was Shizune with a wide smile.

"Good morning, Hokage-sama! Did you sleep on your desk again? That's not a good idea, you know. Up, up. I have your breakfast right here. It's only some hot milk and toast, since I reckon you won't want to eat anything harder until later." The petite woman bustled around straightening the office and shooing her Hokage into the rarely used dinner table. Curious, Tsunade lifted the cover of the tray and true enough, there was milk and toast. Her stomach rumbled and she grimaced.

"I don't want this, Shizune. You know I don't do breakfast." She started to protest and was rudely cut off by her bossy assistant.

"Nonsense! That was then, this is now! From now on, you will have to break fast every morning and eat three balanced meals. I already discussed your new eating requirements with the cooks and they agreed we must provide the best for our Hokage." She continued before sitting in front of her with an expectant grin.

Tsunade eyed her assistant with disbelief, wondering when the teasing would be over. Deciding she didn't like this aspect of Shizune's personality, she pushed the plate away. "Bring me some sake and stop this nonsense at once!" she ordered imperiously as she moved to stand from the table.

"No way in hell! I am not bringing you another ounce of alcohol!" Shizune squared her shoulders valiantly, knowing this would be a source of contention for her hardheaded Hokage. 'Even now, somebody's gotta make her realize it's for her own good!'

"What's the meaning of this Shizune! I said I want sake, like every morning and I expect to receive it like every morning! What's wrong with my request?" she asked too dumbfounded to squash her assistant yet.

"You can have all the sake you want until after the happy event but not before! You are not supposed to drink in your delicate state, Hokage. A woman of your intelligence and knowledge should know the basics about fetal development, you know?" she hissed reproachfully. Taken aback, Tsunade suddenly wondered if maybe the stress of her position was starting to take its toll on her because for the life of her she couldn't understand what her assistant was babbling about.

"Fetal development? Happy event? Delicate state? What is this drivel you are spouting, Shizune! Have you gone mad?" she raged trying to make sense out of something that had none to begin with.

"This! Yesterday's sample, remember?" Shizune brandished a sheaf of papers near her Hokage's nose. "I know I was not supposed to read this, that I was to hand it in immediately after Tomoe-san finished with it, but he was beside himself with happiness for you! Of course I wanted to know, I deserved to know after all the care I've put into your well being!" she pointed her finger at the Hokage's ample chest, her shyness completely forgotten.

"You shouldn't have kept silent. Even if you are unmarried, Konoha will welcome your child with open arms! Congratulations, Mommy Dearest! In about 8 months you will have a child to call your very own! Oh, I can't wait to see whom it resembles! Jiraiya maybe? Oh and don't worry about any thing, even if the testosterone levels are a bit high, they will go down as the pregnancy progresses. I consulted with a few specialists in risky pregnancies and they all said it was normal of a woman of your age." She smiled proud of herself.

"Also, your progesterone is in adequate levels just now, so it shouldn't be a problem!" she finished happily, dreaming of baby clothes, cute little toys and sweet babies to cuddle with. Ecstatic, she pulled Tsunade's suddenly lax hands into her own and rubbed them to warm them, waiting for a reaction from her master. Silence was all the response she got for the first few minutes making Shizune worry.

'Surely she was aware of the possibility of pregnancy even at her age…' she bit her lip as Tsunade's shoulders started to shake convulsively.

"Tsunade-san… Are you all right?" she asked softly.

"Who are you calling pregnant, Shizune? What the fuck are you talking about? That sample was not mine, for Chris'sake!" she raged weakly as her abused mind tried to wrap around the concept that her beloved gaki, her #1 surprise ninja had given a new meaning to the concept with this one. Surely there was a mistake! He couldn't be pregnant.

"At your age, denial is to be expected, Hokage-sama. I will bring you a tray with warm tea later." Shizune backed off muttering congratulations as she quickly left the room before a nearby vase exploded where her head had been just seconds before.

Ignoring the voices outside the door, she made short work of locking it before she turned her wrathful gaze towards the innocent-looking sheaf of papers resting on top of her desk. Taking a deep breath, she sat down in front of the culprit of this morning's woes.

There, as big as life was a positive to HCG of 65.4 IU/L, which in lay man terms meant it was high enough to indicate Naruto's been pregnant for about 2 months, give or take a week or two. She mulled this bit of information, cursing her gaki's stupidity and hardheadedness. She should have paid attention to the Uchiha, rather than allow herself to be lulled by a sense of false security in the blonde's miraculous healing capabilities.

As Shizune had reported, his results showed high testosterone levels which were normal for a guy and adequate progesterone for an early pregnancy. The resulting hormonal battle that would ensue would fit perfectly with his current and reported symptoms.

'The baffling issue here is how the hell did he manage to get himself pregnant? He was born a boy; that much is a fact, for I was there to witness his birth. Male pregnancies should be impossible even with Kyuubi inside him. How is it possible for him to stay pregnant even now?' she asked herself repeatedly until her head pounded with a vengeance.

Her mind reeled with the consequences and ramifications of this new development and the effect it would have in their mission. Her first thought was to have him return immediately to be able to closely monitor his health. If anything happened, she wanted to be near him to make sure his life wouldn't be at risk. She moved to her desk to write the missive to Kakashi. She dipped the brush into the inkwell before she paused.

'Naruto's part on the mission is vital. He is part of the diplomatic convoy. He is the only one who can guide the teams into Marsh Country. His body is strong and Sasuke, Kakashi and Sakura are with him. If I pull him from the mission I risk the outcome. Damn it!' she pounded her fist against the desk as angry tears of impotence rolled down her cheeks. She was torn between protecting her beloved gaki life and furthering Konoha's wellbeing.

'Stop this nonsense! You know your duty is to Konoha. Start thinking as Hokage, not a fearful older sister. Clear your mind of doubts and think rationally what is better for Konoha's wellbeing.' She took a deep calming breath and expelled it as she realized the path to be followed. Her hands tightened around the brush and only when she heard the wood snap did she realize what she was doing. 'You know Naruto must stay on this mission even if it means risking the growing life inside him. Face it!'

"Forgive me, Naruto." She whispered into the lush morning air. At this stage, the baby was just a dream inside her blond gaki. If he met the enemy and survived, he would never know for sure what happened but his life would be in danger.

Yet, she needed his unique skills and magnetic persona to work its charm for Konoha's benefit. It was really a difficult choice: Recall her gaki and keep both the child and the blonde safe or allow fate to take its course and risk losing all of them. She must not forget the Uchiha's fate was tied to her blonde as well. If anything were to happen to Naruto and he was told of her part on the whole fiasco, her choice would surely gain Konoha a new and terrible enemy: Uchiha, Sasuke.

'What should I do?' she wondered. 'Think Tsunade, think!' Her eyes filled with tears as her trembling hand penned Kakashi's missive. The Hyuuga would be arriving soon for his instructions and she had a lot of thinking to do before this. There had to be a way of keeping both Konoha and Naruto safe, for both her and Sasuke's sake.

* * *

Naruto: Um... does this mean... what I think it does? 

Oresama Sasuke dances around wearing a 'Call me Daddy' shirt.

Nekochannya: clears throat. What do you mean?

Naruto: Does this mean I topped Sasuke during the bathroom scene that was not posted?

Oresama Sasuke stops and pales.

Nekochannya: Looks to the side guiltily Um... yeah...

Naruto: And he liked it, I gather?

Nekochannya: Blushes Yeah... he did...

Oresama Sasuke glares at both of us, looking murderous

Naruto: Then I can call him Sassy'UKE now, can't I?

Nekochannya: gasps as Sasuke strangles the life out of her while  
Naruto starts to dance. Uchiha's dont bottom for anybody!

Naruto: Yo! Yo! Yo! Who's you daddy now, Sassy! Come on! Shake that booty! I may be pregnant but you were my uke and liked it!!


	12. Chapter 11: Secrets and Lies

Disclaimer: Its obvious I do not own Naruto. Otherwise, Jiraiya would still be alive and kicking Akatsuki's ass for all eternity. Oh, and it would be Sasuke x Naruto all the way...

PD: There are no words to express how sorry I am to update this late. I am unworthy I know. I should be tarred and feathered for making you guys wait. I will not explain what happened. Let's just say I was unable to write productively due to unforeseen circumstances. I will say I am sorry... really sorry. and I hope you will find it within yourselves to forgive me. I only have 4.5 classes to go before I finish my master's degree... please bear with me... Oh, my...I brought you 39 pages of information... hope you like it. I will be back sooner than expected. Chapter 12 is named Marsh Country.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Secret and Lies!**

Dark eyes traced the rigid countenance of Konohagakure's previous Hokages with compulsive obsession and once again wondered if indeed she was worthy to count herself among them. Irremediably she was drawn to the last face carved into the monument; that of her dearest Yondaime, Konoha's yellow flash, beloved hero and known by few, Naruto's father.

'What should I do, Minato? I couldn't protect your legacy but neither could Sarutobi-san. This is a new opportunity that can be lost in the blink of an eye… What can I do? I wonder…' She pondered, gulping the last of her sake in one shot. Her worry was so deep she'd gone through two whole bottles of her best sake and still the long awaited buzz evaded her senses.

'Unless...' Signaling quickly with a sharp cry, she dispelled the genjutsu that so far had befuddled her senses. The fact that she had failed to notice the illusion for so long, was a fair testimony of her mental state. Immediately her taste buds burst with the earthy quality of her most detested drink: green tea.

"Shizune… That bitch! She knows I am distracted and preoccupied by too many things these days and used that knowledge to place a genjutsu on my sake! Why?! Because she wants me to eat healthy she says? Of all the…" her dark eyes took on a slightly deranged air as she turned with a malicious grin towards the granite countenances on the Konoha mountainside. "Hokages, you will stand witness to this promise! Mark my words for I shall be eating pork chops tonight!" She swore solemnly, full of dark intent. Somewhere else deep inside the Hokage tower a short, dark-haired kunoichi shivered with premonition while the bow-wielding pig by her side whimpered and slid the table.

A minute passed, but the blonde woman's temper would not be contained. There was yet had no sake to be had, no pork chops to be eaten and no Shizune to gloat over.

"How dare she change my sake for green tea of all things!! I asked for Sake!! Damn it!" The innocent cup shattered against the wall leaving an interesting green pattern. Her ire increased.

"Shizune! Shizune! Come here you sake-switching bastard!" She raged, stomping furiously towards to the door. If they couldn't be trusted to bring her some sake, she was going to go get herself some if it killed her!

'Hokage business is pretty damned tense, thank you! What do they think I do after I am done planning and scheming for this war threat? Paint my toes? No! Go to the hairdresser? No! I stew and worry! Then we have this village's Nin who seem to prefer going out to kill something over actually holding a hammer to help strengthen defenses! I have never seen so many sissies in a day, crying over smashed fingers and splintered toes! Had to send over medics to oversee these 'injuries'... Then we have Suna's lack of response and Naruto's pregnancy… Who dared to tell him he had permission to get pregnant? The Uchiha-bastard's gonna try to use my ass for target practice as soon as he knows what I've done!' She shivered, imagining a murderous Sasuke holding on to a dying or even worse, dead and pregnant Naruto. She hugged herself, trying to control her fears from taking over her mind. If the baby died and Naruto survived it would be her beloved gaki's hurt expression of betrayal the one she would have to deal with. That scared her more than the Uchiha threat ever could.

'Easy Tsunade! Don't let it all consume you! It will all work out somehow… Damn it! I need sake! Pregnancy rumors be damned! Nobody can expect me to stay sober for the next 9 months especially when I know I am not pregnant! I need a drink or I will go nuts! Shizune's gonna wish herself into Fang when I'm done with her!' Her killing aura preceded her and the guards standing at attention on their post before her door quivered in place, wondering for the umpteenth time that morning if this would be their last assignment.

They stared at each other, sharing the same fears without shame. After all, their Hokage was not a regular woman. She was a legendary kunoichi with inhuman strength. The lanky brown haired man gulped audibly and sighed as his body tensed a fraction. They had known Shizune-san's gleeful expression was not a good thing.

"She's having a hard day, it seems…" the tallest commented with a nervous smile, a quiver on his voice before the dry sound of a violently rattling doorknob trying to open itself under a powerful hand made him stiffen. Growls and muttered curses could be heard from inside as the Hokage discovered the other surprise Shizune-san'd left. The guards eyed warily the thin glowing paper seals holding the doors closed. A shiver ran down their backs as they wondered how long it would hold under the direct attacks of a determined Hokage. Shizune-san assured them the Hokage wouldn't be able to leave until a certain visitor arrived.

"Hyuuga's are known for their punctuality. I won't have her sneaking around risking everything just to make him wait while she goes on a harebrained hunt; Hokage or not." The petite female smiled sweetly as she performed the last signs of an advanced sealing jutsu over the door. Stepping back, she surveyed her handiwork with satisfaction, a devious expression at war with her guileless features.

Looking back, they saw themselves nodding stupidly like love-struck genin with their first crush. Neither man had it in them to accept before their peers they'd been willingly manipulated by a petite, pig-wielding kunoichi. Still, feelings of warm complicity spread down their chests as they remembered getting trapped by the naughty twinkle inside her eyes. The moment she turned around to include them both in the warm glow of her charming smile they were sold for life. A synchronized sigh echoed down the corridor.

The sudden presence of a tall, pale man triggered the trained reflexes of the nervous and unprepared guards, who attacked the intruder instinctively. The visitor was swift on his feet, agile but without deadly intent. Few minutes later, the two guards lay subdued and panting in a heap by his feet, the shorter one barely able to gasp an apology.

The tall man nodded the barest acknowledgement, stepping around the fallen men to stand before the violently shaking door. A dark eyebrow lifted as he took in the glowing seals and growling curses coming from inside the room. Ivory eyes examined the seals with a curious expression before stealing a glance at the cowering guards. Biting back a smile, he squared his shoulders before carefully sobering up his expression and knocking briskly on the door. Alarm. A pause. Then silence. All noise ceased as if it had never been and the last half hour had never come to pass.

'It figures.' He thought with a smirk.

"Jounin Hyuuga Neji, reporting for orders, Gokudaime-sama." He stated calmly waiting for permission to step inside the room.

'So that was the Hyuuga, no wonder!' The guards stared dazedly at each other before allowing their eyes to roll back inside their heads. The Hyuuga stole a glance at the guards by the door and bit back a grin. It wouldn't do to show amusement before the Hokage. Something told him the stakes were too high to start negotiations at a disadvantage and his instincts were almost never wrong.

A quick glance at the clock over the side table told her that her sake cravings would have to wait.

'Where are the procrastinators when I need them? Why can't he be more like Kakashi, Nara or Naruto? There are some merits to chronic lateness! Damn it! I just want some sake!' Her inner self cried piteously as she squared her shoulders, straightened her robes, returned to the window and assumed the same distracted pose she was sporting before. It was part today's agenda to appear distracted, voluble and frail: sake or no sake.

"Come on in." she called softly, straining her voice to be heard through the room and in total contrast to the bellowing behemoth of only 5 minutes ago. The door opened easily, the seals vanished upon recognition of Tanuki's leader chakra which made her curse Shizune's ingenuity.

'She sealed the damned door from outside to make sure I couldn't leave until he came to see me. She's getting way out of hand with this pregnancy thing… first it was food, then it was sake, after that came my right to freedom and gaming… next thing I know, she will have me marrying Jiraiya…' she shuddered delicately, hugging herself while something deep inside her womb throbbed hungrily. She hissed full of anger.

'That was not desire! For your information that's indigestion, Tsunade! You don't like Jiraiya that way! It would be something akin to incest! You love Dan. Remember Dan? He was the only one for you. Dan! God, I miss you! And you'd do well to remember, you are past your prime, Hokage.' She rubbed her suddenly cold arms, trying to infuse her too cold body with heat. Her musings had distracted her to the point where she never realized the picture she presented to the young man entering the room.

'Huh?' His eyelids dropped guardedly to study this image. If he didn't know better he would think she was the epitome of delicate womanhood. The blonde, frail-looking female leaning against the windowsill as if seeking warmth while staring outside was a far cry from the she-demon he'd pictured judging from the cries he heard while standing outside. He cleared his throat making her turn around to meet him.

'She's up to something.' He thought as their eyes met, measuring each other in a matter of seconds. One to verify his suspicions, the other to validate her choice: both apparently satisfied with their findings.

'Forgive me, Neji-kun. I will both test you and use you today. Your true loyalties and ingenuity will be measured before I give you this very important mission. Naruto's very life and my own sanity are on the line if I chose wrongly.' She sighed closing her eyes. It was time.

She sighed, allowing herself a small smile. "Please seat yourself, Hyuuga-san. There is much to discuss and too little time before your departure." Her keen eyes studied his poise with interest. It seemed she was searching for something in him.

'But what?' he wondered, straightening his back.

'He's one cool operator. It will take more than my usual dose of charm to get what I need out of this one.' She thought with a small grimace.

He studied the woman in front of him with impassive eyes. It was obvious she wanted something. What specifically was yet to be seen.

'We need to hurry. I worry for Naruto and the others. He was looking rather pale during the briefing night before yesterday.' He frowned slightly. Something inside the room was not quite right. His pale eyes studied the room left and right wondering where the problem was.

"I expect you are aware of the extent and scope of your mission before, during and after you reach Marsh Country." She started the meeting with a no nonsense approach that contrasted sharply with her frail appearance. His eyes focused on her, forgetting his misgivings to pay close attention to her words. He nodded. He was as through with his missions as was to be expected of a Hyuuga. It was a matter of pride for him, regardless of his position within the family.

"Are there any questions regarding your mission that you want to ask? This would be the first time you man a mission of this importance, right?" she questioned softly, watching his every reaction. The Hyuuga frowned, confusion starting to tinge his opalescent orbs.

"Do you need me to clarify your mission? Yes? Then state your mission summary. Let's hear how clearly you've delineated the mission's milestones within your plans." She asked with a bemused smile, as the Hyuuga balked. She could tell he was not used to being openly questioned. It always happened to natural-born leaders. Hopefully he would not fail this important task. They both knew this was not his first mission, he was chosen because of his previous experience. Staring into the Hokage's eyes, he shrugged. If it pleased her to play it like this he would humor her. After all, he knew better.

"Milestones, Hokage-sama? Tanuki will follow Kitsune as backup, making contact only if they come under enemy fire. Once we reach Marsh, the team will secure the intelligence scrolls waiting from our operatives settled deep within Marsh and Fang's borders. Once Kitsune's diplomatic mission is over-" milky white eyes glared sharply to the left, while his body stiffened.

'We are being spied on!' Alarm crossed his limbs and he tensed, ready to attack. A slight shake of the Hokage's head stopped him on his tracks. He filled the void by clearing his throat willing to appear hesitant and doubtful to outside ears. He would do anything to buy himself a few seconds to gather his thoughts.

'I don't understand! She is letting him into sensitive mission information! Why?' he raged inside his mind. By the Hokage's calm demeanor, it was obvious she'd known about their visitor ages ago if not before. Their eyes met and he understood he was to continue with his briefing as if nothing was amiss. Something was terribly wrong if the Hokage was willing to expose Kitsune to enemy reconnaissance. He frowned, the bitter flavor of betrayal piercing his soul. He couldn't give away Tengu's existence.

"As soon as Kitsune's mission is over, Tanuki will compile the scrolls into one and send it back with the diplomatic envoy. It is expected that once the initial diplomatic is finished, the enemy will overlook the envoy. Tanuki will then continue to start an exploratory mission into Marsh's neighboring countries using the border as home base to gather evidence of war threat to show our Daimyo." He bit off angrily, glaring recklessly at his superior while spouting nonsense. Tsunade's onyx eyes glistened with a weird mix of anger, surprise, approval and sorrow.

A pause. "Very well. It seems you do know your mission stats to my satisfaction. Still, I worry about Tanuki's involvement with Kitsune. It is not an unknown fact that the Kyuubi brat is part of this mission and I do not want this fact to hamper the mission." She stared coldly into his eyes. He stiffened with a soft gasp. No, she wouldn't ask that of him, would she? Apparently he was out of luck, for her eyes confirmed his suspicions. Balling his fist where they remained hidden by the folds of his clothes, he fought to retain his control.

'Clear your mind of doubts, Neji. This is not a moment for anger. Konoha needs you. Control yourself. You know you do not mean this.' He chastised himself. He knew the correct answer for this particular comment. He'd heard countless people use it before. He could do it.

"Do not fear, Hokage-sama. Tanuki's men are loyal to a fault. They will keep their 'distaste' under control.' Neji's voice took on the frigid qualities of the Hyuuga head with ease, making Tsunade shiver compulsively. Pale eyelids fluttered over shattered moonstone. He straightened his back to keep his conscience at bay. He was a Nin first and foremost. His duty was to defend Konoha and follow his leader's order.

'I am not betraying Naruto. I don't mean it!' he growled softly biting his cheek savagely to keep himself in check. The metallic tang of blood flooded his senses and calmed him somewhat. 'Somebody's gonna get hurt for this. I swear it on my honor as a Hyuuga!' Hardened eyes opened and he smiled, the blood staining his lips and teeth made his expression somber and forbidding instead of welcoming. An unknown side of her responded to his feral call, making her nipples harden inside her robes. She crossed her arms distractedly.

"Hyuuga-san, I must order you to avoid allowing Naruto to fall under 'friendly fire'. He is still useful to Konoha; it will be a shame to lose him." She commented offhandedly, glaring covertly at the window where their spy was hidden.

"The demon spawn's finally being useful to Konoha. We will accomplish our mission but do not expect us to go beyond that. If he dies for the good of the village, then it was nothing but fate. Don't ask me to sacrifice good men to protect the unworthy." He spat acidly, his eyes cursing Tsunade from the depths of his soul for pushing him to do this. Those words burned his throat like burning embers. Who would have thought using them would hurt so much.

"Since I have your promise on this important matter, let's continue with the least important parts of Konoha's reinforcements." She nodded and there was a sudden flurry of activity just outside the Hokage's window. Cries and curses were heard as the spy made his good on his escape. Neji glared at the blonde woman sitting so calmly in front of him, making an effort to remember this was his Hokage. The one that Naruto so respected. The same person who had just cornered him into badmouthing and betraying the first person to show him everything in life was not predetermined by one's fate. Anger and resentment made his blood thunder angrily between his ears.

Tsunade studied the livid young man in front of her and sighed. Quickly performing the necessary hand signs, she placed a high security jutsu over the room. This would secure any further 'security leaks' from happening.

"Now, now. I understand your anger, Neji-kun. Please understand this was necessary. That was Fang latest spy. We can not let the enemy know we are aware of their surveillance efforts, as bad as they are. I knew I could count on you to protect your mission. It's a shame about Naruto and the envoy, though." She said with apparent resignation. The Hyuuga's temper flared and he charged forward with a cry of rage.

"Finally, we have a reaction worthy of a breathing, living human being." With practiced ease, Tsunade moved away from the rampaging Hyuuga, turned around and using his momentum, took hold of his arm and drove him against the desk. Hard. "We can't have an angry Jounin attacking his Hokage now, can we?" she purred softly against his ear. The powerful muscles of his back and shoulders bunched and flexed angrily under her practiced hands, sending a forbidden thrill racing through her body.

'Tsunade, if such a young display of temper can get a rise out of you, you really do need to get laid.' She thought wearily. Working quickly, she had him under control with practiced ease. Her years of experience as a medic Nin were put to good use leaving him immobile but conscious enough to understand and follow her words.

She straightened with a small groan. 'You are really getting too old for this.' She grumbled softly before scooping him like he weighted no more than a child. Turning around, she made her way back to her seat. Carefully, she deposited the pale Nin on the Hokage chair, taking the time to straighten youthful limbs to appease her inner pervert.

'Definitely, you need it bad.' She grinned naughtily, eyeing the Hyuuga under a new light. 'I wonder what he would do if he knew what I am thinking of right now. Probably run for the hills.' She shook her head. Neji stared fixedly into her eyes, willing her to talk once and for all. She could tell he was still angry enough to try something stupid if she let him go.

"You will listen, Neji-kun. After all you have no other option." She smiled softly. His heated glare promised many things, none of which seemed to matter to the inner wanton clamoring for attention inside her.

"I need to know what you really think of Naruto, Neji-kun; this time without spies, threats or pressure. It is vital that I know where you stand in relation to his enemies. Are you truly a friend? Are you just a fellow Nin? Will you protect him if there is need or will you turn a blind eye whenever his life's in danger? Can I trust you?" she asked with odd urgency. This request seemed to shake his confidence and temper. Her eyes told her he was not expecting such a question.

'How dare she question his loyalty? She was the one that had ordered him to betray Naruto! He would never do it on his own!

"There are no words to express what he means to me, so I will not try." He replied sullenly, licking the inside of his cheek in a failed attempt to stem the blood flow.

'You almost bit through your check, idiot!' he flinched slightly.

"Still that does not answer my question. Will you protect him? Or are you too much of a Hyuuga to see past the demon spawn and see the person that Naruto is?" she demanded angrily, shaking him softly. Neji held onto his answer stubbornly. He did not feel obligated to answer with the truth. Not when she would betray Naruto without so much as by your leave!

"Answer me, Hyuuga of the cadet branch!" she ordered sharply. Quicksilver eyes stared into her own indicating she was to let go of his arm before he deigned to answer.

"Main, Cadet… it all lost its meaning a long time ago. My worth will be measured by my own strength and judged against my own acts. Nothing and nobody will ruin my reputation unless I will it to be so. It all means nothing if I am unable to protect my precious people." He spat, flecks of warm blood flying to spot Tsunade's face making her blush. She could still remember her astonishment when she realized he'd bitten his cheek to keep himself in check. Her eyes watched his cheek swell under her expert eye. He had done more damage than expected and would need healing before they left.

"That doesn't mean you will understand and protect him regardless of who he is." She insisted maddeningly.

"Are you still hung up about the Kyuubi? What about it? It's just a demon inside one of my best friends! He is not the Kyuubi. Now, let me go Hokage-sama. They are waiting and thanks to you they know Kitsune is on its way to Grass. They must be protected even if I have to die to assure their safety." He squirmed restlessly. The throbbing pain was starting to drive him to distraction. He could feel his heart beating inside his mouth. He swallowed with a grimace. 'Yuck!' He hated the taste of blood.

"Even Naruto?" she asked with maddening insistence.

"Particularly Naruto, damn you! To me he is worth more than a thousand Uchihas, Hatake-sans or Harunos! Regardless of what you or anybody might say! They will get to Naruto over my dead body and not even then! I bet Choji, Tenten and Lee think like I do! Now, with all due respect, Tsunade-sama. Let me go!" he shouted, pink froth coloring his pale features. Tsunade smiled and nodded. It was enough.

"Before you go, hear me well Neji-kun. Since you put Naruto's wellbeing over your own I must place a heavy burden over your shoulders. A burden so heavy you must keep it safe even after a special scroll is shared with Hatake-san. Only he will share your burden." She sighed, taking his head between her hands and opening his mouth carefully. A soft gasp made her realize the extent of the damage done to the tissue of his inner cheek.

"Neji-kun… I never pegged you for a masochist!" she teased him softly before her hand glowed green to heal it over. He stiffened, feeling the cooling effects of healing chakra penetrate his skin. His jaw started to close reflexively.

"Ah. Don't you think about biting me dear. You want to reach Marsh with your denture intact, ne?" she smiled deviously and Neji wisely chose to relax. After healing the worst of the injury, she sat back on her heels and stared deep into his silver eyes.

"Do you really want this burden?" she asked softly. He had to choose for himself. She could not make the choice for him.

"If it means keeping Naruto safe, by all means!" he frowned with a bewildered expression.

"Neji-kun, we both know Naruto is special and Konoha's number-one surprise ninja, right?" she started, shrugging helplessly with a sigh of defeat. He nodded not understanding where this was going.

"Why do I have the impression I am not going to like this after all?" he wondered out loud.

"Now is not the time to wonder. Heed me well because I will not repeat myself." She paused and started again. "Well, it seems he made it again and surprised us all again. Only this time, it's not about chakra or jutsus. It's about children." She paused trying to regroup her thoughts.

"Children?" he repeated stupidly.

"Children. Or should I say child? We still don't know the exact mechanics, but its Naruto's and apparently Sasuke's child. Neji-kun, when Naruto left Konoha yesterday, he was almost into his third month of pregnancy." She closed her eyes, unwilling to see the rejection and disgust on one of Naruto's closest friends.

"Pregnant? What the fuck? Oh man! No wonder he was so pale the other day… but why… the how is patently obvious… it was time they accepted each other. Sasuke man… you sure are potent… Making another male pregnant… fuck! Talk about unexpected fate! The tweet's the only bastard who's able to get knocked up and by the Uchiha bastard no less! Konoha female population's gonna go on a feeding frenzy over that one! God, that's rich!" he was laughing hysterically by this point, offering the Hokage an unexpected insight into the mind of the otherwise silent Nin. Tsunade had time to wonder if she'd damaged his psyche.

"Are you ok?" she asked wondering if she was reading him correctly. It seemed he was not reacting negatively. There was more to this Hyuuga than previously expected. Another shiver ran through her. 'I need sake!' He had incredible appeal sitting on her chair while he laughed with abandon. His dark hair lay in magnificent disarray while tears streamed unencumbered down his cheeks.

"Never better." He smirked with satisfaction, thinking of the ribbing both Naruto and Sasuke would get for this new development as soon as they were safe.

"A word of caution. Neither is to know about this pregnancy. Only you and Kakashi will know, nobody else. I am keeping this from the council too because I want to keep the danger level to a minimum. We must do all we can to assure the health of both mother and child. The moment you feel something is amiss with him or the baby, you run back to Konoha with Naruto and Sasuke in tow. It is important to keep them together. I am sure Kyuubi is involved somehow, although I am not sure how. Kakashi will have ultimate responsibility over them both. I am writing his instructions on a scroll you will deliver and have him destroy as soon as he commits it to memory. Nothing can distract them from the mission. There is too much at stake to a… um… suspend the mission. Understood?" she stared into pale eyes, allowing her eyes to communicate her fears instead of using words. She was loath to use them but sacrifices had to be made for Konoha's wellbeing. Her position as Hokage impeded her direct intervention and this was the best she could do. His expression hardened with the dawning of understanding. He nodded, face full of resolve. She relaxed. She had chosen well.

"Understood. I will protect Naruto and his child with my life. Tanuki will help Kitsune complete its mission and have them return home safe and sound. That is my promise to you." He swore easily, for it was a promise he fully intended to keep.

* * *

-Fang Country Palace-

Incense sticks burned thickly inside the dimly lit room though the cloying scent did nothing to mask the stench of fear that swamped the room and its occupants. The lanterns acrid smoke stung the eyes and made it hard to breathe while submerging the area in flickering shadows. A lone warrior kneeled warily, bowing deeply towards the one sitting behind the partition.

Through the corner of his uncovered left eye, he gauged the myriad expressions and rigid stances of the men sitting around him while he waited with apparent calm for permission to proceed with his report.

He took immense pains to keep his body language meek and humble, respectful and servile even though it stung his pride to serve one such as the one he was forced to call master, empowered as he was through bloodshed. But then, times changed swiftly and only those who adapted survived. It was not through rash action or foolish pride that he had been able to preserve limb and life for himself and his men. Still, sometimes he wondered if this life he now lived was worth sacrificing his honor for.

'It wont do to think about the past now. Concentrate on that report, you fool! Dead men tell no tales!' Once again he focused his attention on the man before him, waiting. Years of rigid self-control assured that his brief lack of attention would go unnoticed. Anyone who dared to stand against this man's will was swiftly cut down; be it man, woman or child. Entire clans disappeared upon his word. Ronin, mercenaries, hoodlums filled the once peaceful country to follow the Dictator's rule. He was ruthless in his quest for power and as it stood nothing would steer him away down this path towards world domination.

'Eventually you will be cut down, my friend. For you were loyal to the previous master. These cowards will soon start wagging their tongues.' He frowned slightly, still waiting.

According to his spies, Fire country and Konoha started what appear to be war preparations a week ago. This would not please his new master for he used the coward's way in when invading a country. A prepared country meant they were aware of what was happening in Fang and its neighboring countries, something that they had taken pains to keep under wraps. He stole a glance at a cowering fool hiding near the back of the room. To hide the fact that Konoha had sent an envoy to Marsh Country almost 4 days ago was suicide! It would certainly spell death for him and those under him if he didn't play this game correctly.

The shadow behind the partition shifted and the signal for him to start his report was given with a lazy flick of a silken fan.

"Master, we just received reports from our intelligence in Konoha that Fire Country and Konoha started war preparations almost four days ago. They also inform that a diplomatic envoy was sent during this time to Marsh Country. It seems Konoha's leader is renewing old pacts and attempting to make new treaties even as we speak, Sawada-dono." He hurried to finish presenting the most pressing facts and downplaying the envoy situation as best as he could.

"They are strengthening their defenses in preparation for an attack. Our informant talks about a 4-man cell: Hatake, Kakashi, Uchiha, Sasuke, Uzumaki, Naruto and Haruno, Sakura. At this time, it is not clear if there are any other envoys on their way to contact neighboring countries but we should expect it given their diplomatic ties with Suna." He finished, tensing as he waited for his master's wrath.

"Pray tell, why are we talking about a diplomatic envoy towards Marsh? There shouldn't be one. Hasn't it been dealt with?" the daimyo asked with deceptive calm from behind his ornate indigo fan. The warrior trembled, damning his cowardly officials and their fear of reprisal for not informing him of this situation on time.

"I beg your pardon, master. I dispatched our best men to deal with this matter yesterday afternoon, Sawada-dono. They should intercept Konoha's envoy in 1-2 days given our sources. They have sent reinforcements to secure the arrival of this envoy, but inner struggle should keep them from meeting. The two groups will be cut down separately, for the reinforcements will not willingly sacrifice themselves for the envoy. I swear on my life they won't make it into Marsh, Sawada-dono." He replied, bowing even deeper and deciding at that moment to send reinforcements just in case his best men proved not to be good enough against Konoha's best.

"See that you do, Iwaki-san. See that you do. We are counting on that. I want a full report of this incident as soon as the matter is seen to. That envoy must not reach March Country or your life will be forfeited. Is that clear?" He stated calmly with the snap of his fan to signal the end of the audience. Iwaki bowed one last time and retreated with a heavy heart. This was not an empty threat. He felt sweat run down his back as it finally entered his mind the kind of monster he was serving.

'If Konoha's Nin are half as good as I was led to believe by Murakami-dono, then I'm as good as dead.' Curiously, he felt no fear; only numbness and bone-weary exhaustion, the kind that settles deep into your bones after a long day on the battlefield. With yet another deep bow, he left the dark room, knowing deep inside that these were his last days.

* * *

-Somewhere in the territory between Konoha and Marsh-

"How many times will I tell you I am fine, damn it! This is just a stomach bug!" The blond haired male screeched angrily as he used a bit of water to wash his mouth to clean the nasty aftertaste of what had become his morning ritual. The observing figures tittered silently, amused at the blonde's expense.

"Urusai! I don't care if Sakura said this would settle my stomach. It makes me sleepy and I am not letting you lug me around like a sack of potatoes just so that I can stop a stomach bug! I won't die if I vomit once or twice! I am eating more than enough already, damn it!" The blond stalked away in high dudgeon, the angry color of his cheeks signaling his temper louder than his words ever could.

So far, the men watching this particular group had garnered a few interesting pieces of intelligence. First of all, the blond was loud and reckless, always unwittingly drawing attention to himself in his efforts to overcome his badly concealed illness. Second, the dark haired male that was currently following the blonde closely, arguing softly and making the blond scream angrily was ostensibly the blonde's lover. Third, the white-haired male always reading a book was sharper than he appeared. The pair continued to fight loudly as the men shortened the distance under the vigilant eye of their commanders. They'd had almost given up their position the day before thanks to discounting him out of hand. Fourth, the pink-haired beauty was strong, had a temper but cared a lot for the blond menace. Still there was nothing to signal they were dangerous targets, other than their unusual awareness and stealth. If they had not heard the blonde scream in a fit of rage the other day, their scout would never have been able to pinpoint their position.

The group had just finished a Spartan breakfast a few minutes ago, when the blonde had suddenly turned green around the gills and scampered towards the bushes as was his apparent custom gauging by his companions lack of reaction even if the raven protested. The pink haired beauty continued packing while the white haired man sat reading on a nearby stump. The men shared grimaces of distaste. There was no honor in killing babes such as these. Surely Iwaki-san had surely ordered overkill when he sent 40 men to deal with three kids and their sensei but orders were orders and it was better to kill than to get killed for disobeying. Signaling quickly to the archers to get their poisoned arrows ready, the attack commenced.

"Enough! I am not talking anymore!" Naruto turned around and promptly stumbled over a tree root. A hard body wrapped itself protectively around him, rolling them under the vicinity of the same bush he'd puked over a few minutes ago. "Damn it Sas-" he raged with disgust as a pale hand flew to cover his mouth, making his eyes grow large.

"Hush!" Sasuke's strangely tight voice whispered against his ear. "We are under attack."

'What the hell?' his heart thundered crazily inside his chest, adrenaline rushed over him in making him alternately cold and hot. His heightened sense of smell chose that moment to start working overtime, allowing him to pick up strange scents all over the place. His recently regurgitated breakfast was prominent in his nose, but there was also the scent of many over the rush of the hunt. Azure eyes met onyx for a second communicating their findings. Both were worried about Kakashi and Sakura but they both knew the drill when faced with an unknown number of opponents and missing teammates.

'I will scout. You stay.' Sasuke signaled using the well known silent code for those instances when voice could not be safely used. His pride rebelled against being left behind, even if he knew he would be a hindrance if he went along. 'Stay. That's an order! Get under cover.' There was a brief battle of wills but the winner was decided at the beginning. Sasuke outranked him and he knew it. That didn't mean he had to like it, damn it! The raven disappeared soundlessly, leaving him to locate their companions.

The blonde grumbled under his breath as he dragged himself towards a thicker, shadow-filled area of the woods. He hated being ordered away from a fight. Still, it was better if for once he obeyed.

'So Naruto, it's either under the tree with the grubs or on top of it with the birds… The birds it is.' He thought eyeing the grubby depths with distaste. With a shudder of disgust he turned cerulean eyes resolutely upwards. He didn't know how but he had to make it to higher ground. Maybe he could help. He stood, eyeing his surroundings warily, his mind conjuring one of the many ghost stories Kiba had cooked up during missions that had such an environment for a setting. He bit his lip to repress a shiver. The muted clang of weapons warring just outside the clearing sounded too remote even to his dampened senses.

'I should get going.' He thought. A twig snapped to his right and his limbs were suddenly jolted to life. He was surrounded! He turned to flee but the deadly song of five arrows pierced the air a foot or so in front of him, curtailing his flight in that direction. Perspiration beaded his upper lip as he gauged his enemies' position. There were at least 10 men posted in a loose circle around him, five of whom were archers.

'How the hell was it possible for me not to have noticed? They are samurai and ronin, not ninja!' he wondered stupidly.

"What have we here? A lost blond child running away from battle, it seems. We can't have that now, can we?" A lumbering brute came behind a tree and smiled malignantly, signaling lazily to his archers to shoot warning arrows even closer to him.

"Screw you! I am not running away! I was ordered away!" he raged before paling. He had given away information to the enemy.

An eyebrow rose. "Oh, so you are that important, little ninja. Maybe you will be a great bargaining chip to be used against Konoha, even if your lover dies today." He taunted archly, making Naruto see red.

"He will never fall to the likes of you! He is a Konoha Nin and an Uchiha! He is a better warrior than any of you. It will take more than 30 men to do him in!" he replied heatedly. The leader stiffened.

"How do you know the number of our men?" Naruto gulped and looked away. "I asked, how you know that?" barked, signaling his men. "Take him." Naruto fell into a fighting stance. He would not be taken alive. That much he knew. Taking out a pair of kunai, he waited for them.

"Be careful with the knives, little rabbit. You could cut yourself." Another ronin to his left taunted. This one was a redhead like Gaara.

"Screw you! If your men don't stop trying to get more than a cut." He warned before letting a kunai fly towards a man that had slunk too close for comfort. The man yelped and lay suddenly still. The men stared at their fallen comrade with incredulous stupefaction. For the little kitten had suddenly sprouted fangs. A battle cry signaled the start of the barrage of arrows and lances thrown in his direction, hungry for a taste of his flesh.

"Kawarimi no jutsu!" he muttered. Slow milliseconds passed as his body was replaced by a log making them believe for a few seconds they had nailed him. His chakra reserves were perilously strained as it was and somehow he knew it was dangerous to push them too hard. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him, praying for time and a good hiding place.

'I shouldn't have come! Damn it! It's true, I am a liability! How could I have been so stupid!' he raged against his own stupidity as he stumbled towards the sun lit clearing. He was definitely safer there than in the shadows. His ragged breathing and pounding heart canceled his hearing. A painful cramp hit his side drawing from him a gasp of pain.

'Not now! Come on! Kyuubi damn it! Do something!' he raged. He had to make it outside where he could now see Sasuke and Kakashi fighting against the other men; they would know what to do. Then he could rest.

"You have been highly amusing but your race ends here, little blonde rabbit." The mocking voice of the redhead reached his cottony ears as he stopped and whirled, kunai in hand. He could feel their disdainful laughter as they hunted him down. They knew he would not be allowed to reach the dubious safety of his friends before they cut him off. It was either die fighting or die running. He chose to fight.

'Forgive me Sasuke! I should have… damn it! Naruto! You are not going to die crying like a scared little girl! You were going to be Hokage! At least die like one!' Panting great gulps of air, he straightened as best as he could to face his sneering attackers who approached him lazily.

'Com'on… com' closer you bastards! You wanna take me down? You're not gonna leave unharmed! That's my way o' th' ninja!' Concentrating all his chakra reserves into one final burst, he waited until they were within striking distance.

He growled savagely as his hand started to glow increasingly brighter as he fed it his last scraps of chakra. The men before him paused in their approach and he laughed cockily.

"What? Finally afraid of littl' ol' me? Why don't you come on and have a taste of the little blonde rabbit? You big, bad wolf wannabes!" he stated with a provoking grin, willing them to hurry up. He would not be able to hold the Rasengan for much longer. Somewhere deep inside, he felt Kyuubi stirring back into consciousness.

'Finally! Wake up, you stupid fox! For once be the one to watch as I take our enemies! Without your help!' he exulted with a fierce battle cry as he ran, images of his time with Sasuke flooding his inner eye.

"Hold on!" A hand from out of nowhere grabbed his wrist with an iron hold, lifting it up and away from its intended target while another hand pressed into the pressure points located on his neck. His body slumped forward hanging from the arm still lifted into the air as his chakra defused and was reabsorbed by his chakra-deficient body.

'No! No! Sasuke! It can't be over! Not like this!' his unfocused eyes registered movement behind the shadows before sliding into unconsciousness. 'I have not asked for his forgiveness yet.'

* * *

_Evil cliffie from hell... I know... gomen! and the next chapter will have nothing to do with it... promise to make it shorter so you won't have to wait to know what happens... ok? What do you think about Tsunade's obvious perverseness... She was acting up this time...hentai!_

Nekochannya: **dries sweat from her brow** Finally... an update!

Naruto: I was wondering where the hell were you... The baby was born ages ago and you are still in this part? Sasuke!

Sasuke: Hn. She will write. There are more kids on the way.

Naruto: More kids on the... what are you talking about? I still haven't- **a muffled moan and heated scuffles can be heard** Sasuke! Wait! Wait! Gods!

Sasuke: **Smirk** Write about this. Iruka-san's watching the other kid. **The Uchiha drags the willing blonde towards their room where he proceed to ravish his blonde into willing submission**.

Nekochannya: But... I am only on the 3rd month... Sasuke-san! Um...**moans and sighs** Harder Sasuke bastard! **Nervous smile** Uh... forget it! Ok, guys... here is the chapter, I hope you like it.


	13. Chapter 12: Fleeing into the dark

After long last! I told you that I would continue this story... Real life's been terrible... I couldn't see but now I am better after surgery. So, on with the story. I bet Naru-chan's cramped with all the sleeping he'd done! Sorry! *bows deeply!*

**Chapter 12: Fleeing into the dark of night.**

[recap] 'No! No! Sasuke! It can't be over! Not like this!' his unfocused eyes registered movement behind the shadows before sliding into unconsciousness. 'I have not asked for his forgiveness yet.'

* * *

Awareness flickered in and out, just out of reach. Color and sound slid through his fingers like golden sand. He sighed, weary beyond words. Distant feelings rumbled inside his chest, swarming around struggling for release. His mind was numb and achy, his body felt sore like that time he over-trained while perfecting rasengan. Water dripped lazily in the darkness just beyond his awareness, making him shudder with cold. Bone-deep cold seeped inside his skin with each drip, drip. His limbs tensed unbidden making him frown as he waited.

'For what?' He wondered. There was only silence and darkness around him. Awareness was slow in returning but his instinct warned him that not everything was fine. He blinked tiredly but his eyes only saw darkness.

'I can't see... Where am I?' he moaned softly and the echo made him shiver.

'Why is it so cold?' he thought. Straining his ears, the roar of nothingness swarmed his senses. He realized with ever-growing alarm that he was surrounded by deafening silence. Extending his senses he was only able to perceive a foreign sense of peace that was all but alien to him.

'Where is everybody? Am I dead?' He tried to raise himself on shaky arms but desisted from the effort. He was tired, oh so tired.

'Can I rest? Wanna drift away...' A flare of alarm rang through his chest, making him ache. A pale face with cool dark eyes flashed before his sleepy mind. Suddenly, the nameless face had one: Sasuke. His beloved. His other half. A new barrage of images swarmed over his mind's eye. A serious face cooling his face when he was sick, a sexy smirk just before making love, his worried expression this morning at breakfast. Sasuke... his Sasuke.

'How could I forget? Sasuke? Sasuke! Where is he?' He gathered his leaden limbs with renewed determination. There was something he had to tell Sasuke. Still, his meager strength was not enough to budge his stubborn limbs. 'Move, damn it!' he cursed, gritting his teeth.

'Rest' a foreign voice crooned lovingly, curling itself around his frail self like a warm cocoon.

'Rest? I really want to... but...I...' He sighed, trying to explain the sense of urgency that pushed him to act even when he was unable to understand.

'Shush, its time to rest now... you are safe, at peace. Rest now kit.' the voice warbled and the knot inside his heart tightened. Rest? No! He couldn't! Not while-

'No, nonono, no! Sasuke! Need to tell him! I can't die yet! Kami, please! I can't rest! At least not yet! I must talk to him!' Panic flared inside him, compelling him to fight his exhaustion. A different set of images flooded his mind's eye this time. Muffled battle cries. The rank smell of vomit, the metallic tang of blood and the sourness of fear invaded his nostrils once more. Alarm rose inside him as he remembered. He had to see Sasuke! He was in danger! Sapphire eyes burst open, searching blindly with a desperation born of the unknown.

'Please, Kyuubi... somebody, anybody... please! Do something! Help! Why can't I move, why is it dark? where is everyone? Sasuke... please!' Sobs wracked the blond's frame before strong arms cradled his body. The blonde's eyes remained closed as tears fell unheeded. His unresponsive body was unable to hold the warm body closer, but the knot in his chest loosened.

'Home... safe...Sasuke.'

"Sas...ke! Sa...s...ke!" He stammered weakly, between soul-wrenching sobs trying to communicate his anguished feelings as he was rocked back and forth.

"Hush, Dobe, there... you're safe. Hush... everything is alright. I'm unhurt and I swear we are all right! Rest, love! I am not leaving." the blond struggled faintly, fighting against the encroaching darkness. Warm flesh pressed against his unmoving eyelids, making him shiver as familiar lips kissed away the moisture.

"Breathe in, come on... 'ruto, take in my scent. I am here. Don't be afraid and just let it go. I'll be right here. We can talk later." a soft crooning voice murmured against his ear. His body sagged with relief as his senses finally relayed the solidity of his lover and their safety to his frantic mind. A soft curse pulled his attention away from the welcoming lull of sleep.

"I thought I'd lost you, dobe!" a trembling voice pressed wet kisses over his temple and he whimpered stupidly, trying to talk.

"Sas..ke... close! I... 've died n' ne'er...I- sorry... love... so scared!" He mumbled still shaking as he clung weakly to the armored torso. He was not ready to let go just yet even if his head felt like it weighted a ton.

"There now, love. I know I'm loved, dobe. I know...you're sorry... there... everything is all right and you are safe now. Please sleep?" he whispered, trying to stretch his lover in the makeshift pallet they'd built for that purpose.

"Dun' go!" his voice quivered uncharacteristically, making Sasuke's heart break with anguish. "Dun' leave me 'lone." he begged brokenly, pulling the much needed warmth closer with feeble arms.

"I'm not going anywhere, dobe. Sleep, now. I've got you now." he murmured with a helpless shrug as he took his precious cargo and sat on the pallet with his lover on top of him petting his back all the while. "There, rest koi. I'll stay right here with you, ok?" he whispered gently, and was rewarded with a feeble smile and relaxing countenance.

The fire crackled noisily, its gleeful sizzle a welcome distraction to the uncomfortable silence blanketing the silent figures around it. Sakura worked quick but efficiently near the fire. She muttered softly the exact amount of each ingredients that went into preparing this healing potion. Naruto would need all the energy he could get. She frowned as she worked to produce soldier pills with chakra enhancing properties tailored to her best friend's needs. Her eyes swept their encampment searching for her companions. Her garnet eyes met Lee's onyx gaze and she nodded. Tenten and him were on their guard as they oversaw their prisoners' meal.

After sending back an urgent message when they were attacked, they received instructions to wait for pick up per their Hokage's orders so soon these people would be under Ibiki-san's 'tender' care. Her trained eye took in their prisoners. They were a unusual mix of samurais, soldiers, mercenaries and thieves. Thankfully for them, there was not a nin in the group or the story may have ended differently. A shiver ran through her as her imagination ran free. Her eyes darted to the pale, still blond currently cradled by his overprotective lover. She sighed with relief and continued working on her pills. She smiled when she noticed tan hands curl convulsively over Sasuke's clothed arm.

'Oh, he's awake. Thank you Kami-sama! I must hurry up with these. It's strange, how naturally I took to the idea of them together. If somebody had told me when I was still a genin that someday I would call Naruto my best friend over Ino or that I would be content knowing he and Sasuke were an item, I'd punched them through the roof for their trouble! I surprise myself even now. I can only feel genuinely happy that they are finally together. Now if only I could find a partner to help me find completeness just like theirs.' She sighed, mixing her powdered medicines inside the boiling water. The acrid smell of the soldier pills made her eyes sting and water. Seeking relief, her eyes shifted again landing on a silent pair of team leaders deep in discussion. Her eyes narrowed with a small frown. She'd watched Neji deliver a scroll a few minutes ago. Judging by Kakashi's expression as his eyes scanned over the contents it was quite a bit of unexpected news. She'd hadn't seen that particular expression over her old sensei's face since that time Naruto started to recount the ending of the last, barely published installment of the Icha-Icha series as written by Jiraiya-dono. At the time, she'd thought she'd laugh herself to death at this particular expression but now, she worried her lip before bringing her attention back to her potions.

'I wonder what sort of news Neji brought this time. Must be important going by their expressions.' Usually curiosity was a great nin characteristic to have but at times like this it was a royal pain in the arse. The bitter, almost rotten-egg-like smell of this special type of soldier pill finally changed to something barely palatable, signaling it was almost ready. She smiled with accomplishment, gathering the vials to distribute the doses. This particular recipe was specifically tailored to boost Naruto's natural reserves while boosting the Kyuubi's healing properties. She'd slaved away at it when they realized regular soldier or even Anbu-level pills did nothing to boost Naruto's chakra abilities. She pouted worrying at the effect they would have on his weakened system. It baffled her that Tsunade had allowed him to come given his clearly debilitated physique.

'Well, this should shock his system into restarting chakra production.' She sighed, under normal circumstances she was loath to give them to somebody else given the sudden spike it caused on the taker's chakra levels but normally it was the only thing that worked to get Naruto's chakra back to normal. Given their particular situation, she'd prepared an extra strong dose for immediate application. She was worried about Naruto's flagging chakra system. Hopefully this would kick both his and Kyuubi's energy levels back to normal. She straightened and went to the pallet. Sasuke's eyes flashed red then blinked back to normal when he recognized her.

"Sorry." He offered gently, his eyes going back to scan the relaxed features of his beloved.

"Maa, I understand. I've prepared a batch of Naruto's special soldier pills. It's a Chakra Enhancer that's sure to return Naruto's chakra levels back to normal. I made it extra-strong, counting with the fact that even with a weakened Kyuubi, Naruto will be able to handle the boost to his system without further damage to himself." She explained as he helped her ready him. With a tender smile that stole Sakura's breath, the raven pried open tanned fingers curled around his waist. Using a smooth cajoling tone he removed the remaining armor to free his torso and arm so he could receive medical care with more ease. His eyes took in the syringe in her hand with trepidation.

"Intravenous?" he asked in a muted tone, unwilling to wake his exhausted lover. She nodded, preparing to inject the solution into his arm. Some thought preparing the area before injecting medicine while at the field was a stupid precaution but she still did it because she was not taking any more risks than she had to with her best friend. Her gloved fingers tightened to help stretch the skin as the needle pricked the-

A steel arm wrapped itself around her waist and bodily removed her from her patient. She dropped the injection and bit back a scream as a harried-looking Kakashi surveyed the scene with agitation. His eyes took in the reddened area of Naruto's arm and lifted the still-ready syringe while his hand wrapped itself painfully around her wrist.

"What the hell? Kakashi-sensei? What're you doing? What's wrong?" She thrashed about to free herself. She kicked back blindly and received a low grunt of pain as a reward. She smiled evilly and repeated the kick but her assailant had wizened up. Shame.

"What did you give him? Answer!" his deadly calm tone frightened her as he shook her wrist hard to get her attention. She stopped her struggling to answer.

"Him? Nothing yet, I was gonna inject Chakra enhancers I specially made when-" she replied growing angry then confused when he let go of her and sagged to his knees. "Kashi-sensei?" she called out to him warily, the strong arm around her waist long forgotten in her worry.

The man shivered, leaning his forehead against Naruto's prone form. "I am glad!" he muttered, his heart struggling to catch up with the rest of his body.

"What's wrong, Kakashi-sensei? What happened?" Sasuke asked, red-tomoe swirling as he straightened from his defensive crouch over his blonde.

Neji chose that moment to intervene. It was not everyday that their typically indolent leader over-reacted, so a decoy was needed. He let go of Sakura who immediately went to see what was wrong with their sensei. She knelt by Sasuke and joined him in the glare-fest.

"Nothing is wrong. He's just worried given the new information Tsunade-sama sent. Since the nature of his condition is quite unknown, the Hokage sent a new but complete set of instructions to help us deal with it. Chakra enhancers are particularly prohibited. Here, she also sent a missive to you explaining the particulars as Naruto's healthcare provider." He kept his face carefully blank as he spoke. Tsunade had been particularly clear on the information level contained on each set of instructions. He only hoped Kakashi-sensei's reaction had not caused more problems than solutions.

'No, if I'd been able to react to my surroundings faster than him, the one caught overreacting would have been me.' A repressed shiver coiled around his spine. Nonetheless, disaster was averted and only Kakashi's reputation suffered for their lack of judgment. Win-win situation in any book but Kakashi-sensei's. He repressed a smirk as he handed Sakura her set of instructions.

"They know what he has? And you say Chakra enhancers are prohibited? Then... I could have..." Sakura's voice trembled with fear, her pale face blanched with understanding.

"Unwittingly made it worse, yes, Sakura." Sasuke bit off tersely, rancor tingeing his tone as he directed blood-red eyes towards his real target: Neji. "When were you planning on letting us know, eh bastard? When? Right after Sakura fed him the chakra enhancers or just before he slid into a coma? What the fuck were you thinking, Hyuuga?" Sasuke spat, fear and ire raising like a tidal wave inside him.

"Uchiha-san. Use your mind before you go laying the blame where you shouldn't. We finished securing the prisoners just a few minutes ago. I handed in the scrolls after the perimeter was secured. I have done nothing but follow procedures and you know that as well as I. Naruto's safety is of utmost importance for all of us not only you!" he answered equably, unwilling to let Sasuke's words get a rise of him. Though it was hard given the suspicious glares he was receiving before the Uchiha kneeling at his feet dismissed his presence with a toss of his head.

"Sakura, what are you waiting for? Read the damned letter and do whatever it says in there so we can help him get better!" The pinkette nodded, went to get her gear and brought it round.

'Think fast, Neji! Sasuke must trust you in order for Tsunade's plan to work!' His searching eyes laid on Naruto's chakra-depleted system. Crouching lightly before the seething raven, he followed the flow with his eyes. His inner surprise upon registering the separate chakra signature that signaled the new life was unequaled. 'Well, I'll be damned. It's true!' an uncharacteristic smile pierced his face forcing Sasuke to do a double take.

Reading astonishment in his fellow nin's face, he schooled his features to maintain semblance of normalcy. The throbbing veins informed the Uchiha what he was about. He allowed the Sharingan to observe as token penance. Disaster was allowed to come too close for comfort. Concentrating on the sluggish energy he could see moving about inside Naruto, he noticed the amazing way the blonde's newly developed organs had effectively re-directed the flow of energy and blood. He nodded as his eyes traced a series of blockages where the old paths branched off into newly created paths that flooded with energy. A ferocious amount of energy was poured literally into them but most of it was lost since these paths were too small for a grown man's chakra flow. The constricted flow reached his newly matured organs which throbbed in time with his heartbeat as if trying to absorb desperately needed energy, which effectively dried up the blonde's bottomless reserves. Reaching down to slide his hands over the skin on his belly, he merely grunted with acceptance when a growl erupted from close by. The skin under the blonde's belly felt warm to the touch, a fact nobody seemed to notice so far.

"What?" Ever sensitive about his blonde's wellbeing, the raven asked quickly sensing something was amiss. Neji shook his head, studying the puzzle before his pale gaze. Although something, namely Kyuubi, was maturing and orchestrating path reinforcement and expansion, the process was sluggish at best. If something was not done soon neither Naruto nor the child would survive. He felt he owed it to Naruto to try if not to the rabid Uchiha before him. Tsunade explained about underdeveloped gonads and all that. After Naruto was stable, they could perform tests to see why and how his 'til-recently-undeveloped womb and gonads achieved full maturity. Somehow, Konoha's #1 surprise Nin had pulled another miracle, regardless of intentions. Still, seeing it up close was another matter entirely.

"Tsunade-sama instructed me to help Naruto by whatever means necessary. Currently, his chakra needs re-routing to help his body compensate for chakra-loss after the poisoning. His body created a series of blockages to circumvent the damage. I must deal with them one at a time. Blockages are dangerous when they are near his organs and he has one at each of his." Sakura gasped, understanding the full complexity of what Neji explained. Sasuke's eyes went out to her for guidance and she nodded silently. His arms tightened around his lover, fearful shivers crossing his back.

'I could still lose him! No!' Sasuke sought Neji's silently and the pale man nodded with understanding.

"I am not saying his life will be endangered by what I am going to do. I would never put his life at risk. This you must know. I am just stating that if left alone he could die. This treatment will be done on stages to avoid complications. Today, I need to work on one major and two minor blockages. These are the most pressing. After this he will start recuperating faster but he must not be allowed to forget himself. His chakra levels are compromised. He must be forced if needed to eat healthy foods, exercise reasonably and marshal his strength. The treatment requires time, energy, high-caloric intake, no sudden chakra spikes and a safe place where he can rest. Which is why we must make haste to Marsh after stabilizing his chakra flow." He explained neutrally. Information was needed to circumvent the keen Uchiha intellect and Haruno's suspicious nature. Who would have thought they would present a united front given their history together. The explanation was sound and well-thought out which meant the stakes were piled high enough in his favor on this attempt to pull the wool over two of Konoha's elite nin. After all, they didn't have the Byakugan and both trusted Tsunade implicitly.

'Maybe that will change after this.' he thought waiting for them to signal their acceptance. Haruno nodded and elbowed Uchiha into submission. He resisted but after hushed discussion, he too accepted. Judging from Uchiha's protective hold around his blonde lover, he had his work cut out for him.

"First, we must lay him down flat... For that you have to let go Uchiha... Oh, well. Then hold his upper body since he is all but glued to your side. Talk to him so he knows he's safe. Haruno and Kakashi-san, help me straighten him on the pallet and hold onto his legs. He may thrash a bit since I will be manipulating his energy." he started before he corrected his words hearing the Uchiha's growled curse.

"I will not harm him. But he is not conscious and Kyuubi is working overtime. Either may believe I mean them harm and attack. We can't allow him to use either chakra or his body. If he was aware it would be easier but since he's not I must redirect the worst of it before we attempt to move him!" The Uchiha's hold around his beloved's wrists tightened, his eyes flaring to life before his face shut down into the familiar stoic countenance. He looked at both of Naruto's closest people and started working on the blockages, hoping against hope everything would be as he'd said.

"Iwaki-san!" The man threw himself at the feet of his master, trembling with fear of retaliation. Not in a thousand years would he have ever thought they would fail when he saw his target. One of them was sick, for Kami's sake!

"Out! Get everybody out! Guards, clear the room, all of you! Make sure nobody enters until I give permission." He barked orders in quick succession for he feared his life would be at stake the moment Aoki-san opened his mouth. Once the room was empty of all and any of his usual entourage, he stood. Slowly approaching, he stood before the trembling man's head. "Now that we are alone...Report, Aoki-san!" The older man ordered, knowing already defeat was in the report but not their enemies... theirs. His loyal captain would never throw himself at his mercy otherwise.

"We... Iwaki-dono! We were beaten... by 3 of Konoha's nin. But they got reinforcements! We tried to outnumber them but we were no match against them. Those children... They took 5 of our men, all trained warriors, as prisoners. We tried to recapture them or have them killed but the masked nins were too fast for us. We lost them after only a few leagues. We retraced our steps in all haste and followed the small party of 6 until they got as close to Marsh as we dared to follow. They entered Marsh safely. I'm sorry Iwaki-dono! I will spill my life's blood and that of my closest kin to atone for this defeat!" the man whispered, taking out his short blade with a skilled hand, readying himself for the final blow since there was no tanto to be had.

"You will do no such thing, Aoki-san. You will not commit seppuku. You will live your life to atone for your mistake." he ordered severely to force the idea out of his brain. "Your life is mine to command, is that not so?" he asked with a iron voice laden with silk. His man shivered and nodded.

"Yes, Iwaki-dono! My life and my kin's life are yours to command! Do with us as you will!" he swore, bowing deeply before his Commander.

"Heed my words, Aoki-san. For this is how you will serve your first service for atonement." He paused, waiting for the man's eyes to meet his. When his man failed to do so, he grew impatient. "Aoki-san, I thought you wanted to atone for your sins. Should I rethink my decision?" He asked chillingly. The man flinched and lifted his eyes to face him.

"Please do as you see fit. My life is yours to command." He reiterated honestly and Iwaki relaxed for the first time since he was ordered to kill 3 of Konoha's most powerful nin.

"Heed me well then, Aoki-san. Tonight a message will be sent to my loyal followers. Those of you lying low and waiting for my orders. You along others will secure safe passage to Marsh for all of our kin and the Fang's beloved. We travel light, so take only what's needed. Leave behind the old and the sick to be mourned when this war ends. Betray me not, Aoki-san, for there's more at stake than your wounded pride and lost honor." He chided softly when the other man's eyes widened with understanding.

"My lord, I would never betray your trust a second time. I swear this oath upon both my long-awaited heir and the Fang's beloved." He bowed deeply to signal his acceptance. Iwaki nodded with understanding and flickered his gaze to the window, silently ordering him to leave that way and to prepare everything for departure. Both men acknowledged the resolve shining bright inside them. Aoki-san left silently making him proud of his men's training. Iwaki turned towards the closed partition with a soft sigh. He hated it when his hand was forced. But he understood now was not the time to please himself and stroke his honor. Now was the time to flee into the dark of night like a woman. Later there would be time to regroup and fight for what would be lost tonight. Running away went against his grain as a warrior. He would rather stay and fight, taking as many of his enemies as humanly possible. But he couldn't. He'd sworn he would do his best to keep the Fang's beloved alive. It humbled him how the future of his nation rested in the tiny hands of a child barely out of swaddling cloths. Iwaki would do anything to keep him and what he represented safe. He knew there was a snake in their midst that reported everything back to Sawada. So he was aware that the time for reckoning was near.

"It will not happen until I am ready. I've sworn upon my ancestors and my family's honor to protect your son, my liege. I will do everything in my power to see he makes it back to reclaim what's rightfully his. Rest a while longer, Sire. I will not rest until I see your son in his rightful place." he swore softly staring into the urn containing his Master's ashes.

**longish chapter... hope you like!  
**


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